While one wouldn’t suspect it, Orono sends their choirs off on multiple yearly events, depending on the choir. These can be judged competitions, or simply entertainment. However, it still isn’t apparent as to why the events happen in the first place, and why students aren’t aware of them.

“It depends on the event. A judge monitors conference events, and after the performance, the judge works with the choir to further their understanding of the music,” choir teacher Nichole Brenna said.

The Interactive Course Guide presents these different performances as mandatory aspects of the class, and are typically graded in the academic achievement category.

The standard choir concerts exist as a way for students to be appreciated for their hard work, and to provide entertainment. Sometimes, such as during Veterans Day, the choir performed music designated to honor those veterans,” Brenna said.

While parents receive emails about the choir concerts, contests, and their dates, they aren’t publicized anywhere else, which presents a vague image of what choir actually is.

“I didn’t know we had so many events. In middle school, we weren’t prepared for anything like that, except in Spartan Singers, when we performed at a Timberwolves game.” said freshman Alex Peterson

Across Orono culture, it is common for students to speak little to none of what happens in the choir. Even then, its members don’t speak much of what happens regarding the class. For more students to understand the class and its activities, it would appear that a culture shift would have to happen to provide a precedent of communication.

“I believe it would be interesting if Orono culture provided more space for student participation in the arts, but I also find it an unrealistic expectation. It comes down to students’ preferences, and what they want to see, relative to how much they support their friends,” said senior Elijah Moody.

Students have the opportunity to better support their peers, and themselves, but it appears that a deeper dive into Orono’s student culture is required to truly understand why students want to support certain events over others.