LHS’s music department offers something for everyone. Everyone has a home in band, orchestra and/or choir, but cadet seems to have interesting stigmas against it.
Cadet Choir is one of three LHS choirs and one of two non-audition choirs. It is open to grades 10-12 and freshmen boys. Once the calendar is switched to February, Concert Choir auditions will be taking place, which consists of sight-reading, reading rhythm, tonal memory and singing a patriotic song determined on the student’s vocal part. This determines whether or not future juniors and seniors will sing in the only auditioned choir, with only about 50 openings, Concert Choir is highly competitive, and not everyone gets in.
Carolyn Kirkland and Ella Bartz are two of the many LHS juniors in Cadet Choir. It is their second year in this class, so they review the same rhythms, keys and time signatures.
“It is good review,” said Kirkland. “It is good because we get to go back over the basics,” said Bartz.
However, there is a downside to reviewing the same things.
“Going slower stops us from improving,” said Kirkland. “When we have to go over the same things and we cannot work ahead, or work on something hard, I do not feel like I am improving, because I am just reviewing old stuff.”
Not only do they feel like they are falling behind musically, but they also feel separated from their peers.
“I do not get to see my friends as much because I am here,” said Kirkland.
Many juniors went on to concert choir after their auditions, forcing them to be away from their peers and graduating class. However, there is one person they are glad has not left them behind.
Jacob Noordermeer is the Assistant Choir director at LHS and teaches Cadet Choir, Cliff Avenue Singers, Bel Canto and Canto Fratelli.
“[My favorite part about Cadet Choir is] Noordermeer,” said Kirkland. “I like how he teaches, he is very nice.”
Many people consider Noordermeer their favorite teacher, so it is no surprise that he has been nominated for the 2025 Teacher of the Year in South Dakota. He appreciates everyone who comes into his class and does not discriminate based on talent or ability. A stigma surrounding juniors in Cadet Choir is that they are not as good as their peers, which is false and only brings up embarrassment and judgment. Since they are juniors they take on a leadership position and Noordermeer encourages them.
“I feel distant from my group, but it is nice to be the leader,” said Bartz. “He doesn’t bring up us being juniors.”
