At 12 years old, Alex DeGrange is already delving into music, enjoying styles from hip hop to rhythm and blues, and studying ways to make his own music.
But on Wednesday night, DeGrange was concentrating on another interest: choral music.
The Northern Middle School student joined his peers and performed before hundreds of people in the annual All County Middle and Senior High Honor Choruses concert at North Hagerstown High School.
In what has been a local tradition for more than 36 years, a little more than 300 students in the concert are selected by choral directors at their respective schools, said Rob Hovermale, supervisor of visual and performing arts for Washington County Public Schools.
The middle school group took the stage first, followed by the high school students. The choruses were then scheduled to perform together on stage.
The two choruses are usually led by a guest conductor. The guest conductor for the middle school chorus Wednesday night was Joanna Claycomb, who is serving her 11th year as choral director at Frederick County Middle School in Winchester, Va.
The guest conductor for the high school chorus was Terry Eberhardt, who received his Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance and music education from the Peabody Conservatory of Music and a master's degree in opera performance from the University of Maryland Opera Studio.
Eberhardt has performed in numerous oratorios as baritone and bass soloist and is well known to Baltimore and Washington, D.C., audiences.
Daryus Reynolds, who was among the singers in the high school chorus, is keeping a busy schedule this year.
Besides singing bass in choral music, Reynolds also sings in his church and is on the North Hagerstown High School basketball team.
"It can be kind of hard to juggle. I make it work," Reynolds said before the show.
Greg Sirface, another singer in the high school group, said he has been studying choral music since he was in middle school. He has been in the all-county chorus show for four years.
"I like the teamwork and how when you get it all right, it sounds amazing," Sirface said.
But on Wednesday night, DeGrange was concentrating on another interest: choral music.
The Northern Middle School student joined his peers and performed before hundreds of people in the annual All County Middle and Senior High Honor Choruses concert at North Hagerstown High School.
In what has been a local tradition for more than 36 years, a little more than 300 students in the concert are selected by choral directors at their respective schools, said Rob Hovermale, supervisor of visual and performing arts for Washington County Public Schools.
The middle school group took the stage first, followed by the high school students. The choruses were then scheduled to perform together on stage.
The two choruses are usually led by a guest conductor. The guest conductor for the middle school chorus Wednesday night was Joanna Claycomb, who is serving her 11th year as choral director at Frederick County Middle School in Winchester, Va.
The guest conductor for the high school chorus was Terry Eberhardt, who received his Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance and music education from the Peabody Conservatory of Music and a master's degree in opera performance from the University of Maryland Opera Studio.
Eberhardt has performed in numerous oratorios as baritone and bass soloist and is well known to Baltimore and Washington, D.C., audiences.
Daryus Reynolds, who was among the singers in the high school chorus, is keeping a busy schedule this year.
Besides singing bass in choral music, Reynolds also sings in his church and is on the North Hagerstown High School basketball team.
"It can be kind of hard to juggle. I make it work," Reynolds said before the show.
Greg Sirface, another singer in the high school group, said he has been studying choral music since he was in middle school. He has been in the all-county chorus show for four years.
"I like the teamwork and how when you get it all right, it sounds amazing," Sirface said.
