This year, the choir program was in need of a new director. Upon being hired, Peyton Weil hit the ground running designing a choir program with the help of her accompanist, Catherine Trudell. The established program, “Hope Lingers On” introduces students to international cultures while exposing them to diverse music styles. 

In the “Hope Lingers On” program, students are encouraged to incorporate various languages in their music and explore songs originating from different parts of the globe. Weil guided her students through individual pieces that connect to worldwide lifestyles and speech, and with that, she was able to create an inviting program to engage students with other cultures through the works of melody.

“I created a program that had to do with the central theme of hope, and hope lingers on,” Weil said. “I tried to center my pieces around that and program a diverse repertoire for the kids. They would sing a piece in English and a piece from a different culture, from around the world, in a different language, and we would learn about every piece that we sang and connect with it.”

As Weil put in effort for this program to flourish, students like senior Jonathan Lackner value the way Weil pushes to bring everyone together, despite everyone coming from different grades and backgrounds.

“I feel she brings positive energy to the class and that her teaching style is a little different, ” Lackner said. “I feel she’s done well incorporating everyone’s parts  as a whole choir because sometimes we’d have songs with very heavy one-part pieces, and it felt some of us would be left in the back but I feel like she does a good job of keeping us all together.” 

According to new choir students like freshman Mckenzie Walls, Weil has been nothing but supportive and encouraging. Walls appreciates Weil’s ability to bring out students’ voices.

“She’s cool,” Walls said. “She does a really good job with vocal control and teaching us to keep our vowels doing well. She also keeps us in order well.”

Adding background music to the vocals of North’s choir is accompanist Catherine Trudell, who is also featured in both solos and ensembles. She is there to assist in rehearsals but mostly contributes by playing her tune.  

“My position is the choir accompanist but I’ve also been accompanying vocal rehearsals for the musical and will be accompanying students for solo and ensemble in January,” Trudell said. “I sometimes led sectional rehearsals, but the choir and Ms. Weil did most of the work. I just play.”

Gratitude was expressed by Weil towards the choir students. She hopes to carry on what the previous choir director built for the program.

“Mr. Henri did a great job building up the past 15 years,” Weil said. “I’m just stepping on the shoulders of giants, if you will, and continuing to build what he already set the foundation for. But it’s a fantastic group.”