Masuk Free Press

Masuk’s theater department just finished up their production of Rodger and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” on March 22, but more is still in store for them. On April 3, members of the band, choir and strings classes set off for Montreal, Canada.

“The whole music department tries to make a big field trip every year. This is the first year we’ve brought one out of the country in a while,” said Margaret Chaves, Masuk choir teacher and a chaperone for the trip. “It’s great for the kids because it gives them something to work towards musically, as well the experience itself. There’s a lot learned in this in this trip. They’re learning about the culture, and we’re talking about the area of Montreal itself, and what is Montreal like in history.”

The trip is more than just a chance to see Quebec’s largest city.

“We will be singing at McGill University. So we’re doing a clinic there, a choral clinic with the college choir director there,” said Chaves. “We are going to perform, most likely, at the Montreal Underground City.”

The Montreal Underground City is a shopping center that is located entirely underground. The mall contains a wide variety of boutiques, department stores and restaurants, numbering at just over 2,000. It takes up an area of about 5 square miles, which is five times as large as Vatican City.

This prestigious part of their to-do list is accompanied by other exciting feats.

“And then we are gonna be going to Old Montreal, and we are going to see ‘Avatar: the Last Airbender,’” said Chaves. “It’s going to be onscreen, the animated series, but we will be watching a live orchestra perform the soundtrack. So that’s going to be really, really cool. A live performance of the music while we watched the movie.”

Music students will have the chance to partake in other unique events.

“When we go to the Notre-Dame Basilica, one of the other things that we’re gonna be doing there is what’s called the AURA experience,” said Chaves. “We’ll live the historic birth of Montreal and Notre-Dame through the spectacularly high-tech sound and light performance. The musical composition of the AURA experience is the work created by the Troublemakers music studio based in Montreal.”

The schedule for the trip is packed with learning experiences and beautiful sights. But one item on the roster stands out more than the rest.

“The highlight of our trip for us is singing in the Notre-Dame Basilica,” said Chaves. “We will perform for the people that are in there that are coming to visit the basilica, so we’ll have an audience of spectators. It’s just absolutely gorgeous, beautiful singing environment. Just the experience of being in such gorgeous architectural building, you know, with history like that.”

The Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal opened for the public in 1829. This Catholic church is visited by roughly 11 million people each year, now including Masuk’s very own music department. Being able to sing in such an establishment is a grand honor for both students as staff. To make sure they are up for the task, the choir has been preparing diligently.

“The majority of us just got out of the musical, which was literally taking up all of our time. And so now we’re just getting back into this, then we’re immediately going to Canada, so it’s kind of a lot,” said senior choir member, Muriel Bailey.
“Singing these kinds of songs, even just singing them, is really, really difficult. We have a way that you pronounce the words, have enough breaths, breath support, being on key, you know, not being too loud or too quiet. I mean, it’s really, really hard, especially with the choir group that is already so small. Preparation has been kind of difficult recently. People think ‘oh, it’s just choir,’ but no. It’s a hard, hard class.”

Chaves echoed the sentiment. “The kids have worked hard within Sectionals in choir, as well as together as a whole. But a lot of extra practice sessions that I work on with kids during FLEX, a lot of extra rehearsals, to get them ready. It’s a challenge because kids are so busy. We just came off the musical, so the kids have been just tired, and we’ve had the SATs and a lot of time constraints. But we’re working. It always comes together in the end.”

Despite all of the difficulties, excitement has prevailed.

“Even though going to Canada is a lot of fun, I really I think it makes it so special that I get to go with a really close group of friends,” said Bailey. “Most of the people that I’m gonna be hanging out with is people from the theater department, and I’m very, very close with them. I mean, I love them so much.”

Although Masuk’s upcoming Italy trip has been the talk of the school for the past year, the same cannot be said for the music department’s visit to Canada. Yet while the distance being travelled differs, the Canada trip is no less meaningful.

“The history and and in the culture is just the arts are part of their daily life, their daily culture,” said Chaves. “So, you know, when you sing over there, people really stop listening, and they want to be part of it. So, it’s a great opportunity for all of us all the way around.”