Totino-Grace is a school with a rich history in the fine arts, especially with its nationally acclaimed choir. 

But near the end of the 2023 school year, enrollment seemed to be significantly lower than in previous years for the school’s choir department. 

Usually, the choir program would be split into an underclassmen choir known as chorale and an upperclassmen choir known as concert choir. It was looking like class sizes would become too small that it would have to be condensed into only a single all-grades choir.

This is a similar issue that plagues other high schools, such as South High School, whose writer says, “there’s no sign that this downward trend for the program will reverse. Fewer students mean less funding, and with less funding, the program draws students less. Choir teacher Lauri Meyers believes the choir program will soon reach the meager size of 7 people that it was when I started at South in 2005.”

Annika Luciw, a choir student of four years, commented, “After so many musically talented and strong-voiced seniors graduated last year, I was scared that we were going to have a smaller and weaker sounding choir and show choir programs that would not reach the potential of a larger program.”

As of the new 2023-2024 school year, the choir’s enrollment is higher than ever expected, the impact especially felt in the tenor and bass voice sections, which previous to this year have never been more than one full row in the choir.

Luciw said, “This is the most full sound the choir has had in all my four years of being in Totino-Grace choir.”

Nick Schmitz, a new bass choir student, stated, “At the end of last year I decided to give choir a chance, and it seemed like a lot of other people had the same idea.” 

Robert Zubrzycki, also a senior bass student, said, “Choir is the highlight of my day; it always puts a smile on my face.”

About half of the tenor and bass sections in concert choir this year are new to the class, most of which are also seniors.

Totino-Grace’s choir has had a long history as an important part of the school and the students’ education. With the sudden growth of the choir this year, this history can carry on and maybe even go further than it ever has been.