Ridgewood choirs shine at Nordonia festival

Ridgewood High School’s choirs had an educational experience at the Nordonia A Cappella Festival, held at Nordonia High School in Macedonia. Thirty students in eighth grade through 12th grade participated in the weekend event, representing Ridgewood’s ensembles Dynamic Chorale, Sound Bytes and Syntax Error.

The trip began Friday with a cultural and team-building outing. Students visited the McKinley Museum in Canton, where they immersed themselves in exhibits about science and the history of Ohio. Then students collaborated to solve themed escape rooms. That evening the group attended a concert featuring some of the top high school a cappella groups in the state.

Saturday was filled with festival activities. As one of the few high school-level a cappella festivals in the country, the Nordonia A Cappella Festival offers participating students a blend of clinics, masterclasses and concerts, guided by accomplished clinicians and artists. Professional a cappella group Duwende was the headliner for the concert, and members of the group also taught clinics throughout the day.

Throughout the day Ridgewood choir members attended vocal clinics and workshops designed to strengthen techniques in ensemble singing, performance skills and vocal artistry. Dynamic Chorale and Sound Bytes also participated in a masterclass with expert instructors, giving students personalized feedback to elevate their musicianship.

A highlight of the festival weekend was Ridgewood’s own Syntax Error, which had the honor of performing a Saturday Showcase Concert, sharing the members' talent with fellow students, directors and the broader festival audience.

“This experience was a wonderful opportunity for our students to grow as singers and as a community,” said Haley Evans, choir director. “Our students look forward to the festival every year. Nordonia’s choir director, John Pickering, puts on an amazing experience each year. The students get to learn from outstanding clinicians, connect with peers from across the region who love music as much as they do, and it helps bring home inspiration for the year ahead.”

Students are now preparing for the upcoming musical "The Addams Family," which will be Friday through Sunday, April 17-19. Tickets can be purchased at ridgewoodperformingarts.ludus.com. These choir ensembles will perform at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7 at the Ridgewood High School Choir Pops Concert and at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 13 at the Harmonic Fusion Pop A Cappella Concert.

Evans said she is excited for the upcoming Harmonic Fusion Concert because it marks the 10th anniversary of Ridgewood's pop a cappella ensemble, Syntax Error. Past members of Syntax Error are encouraged to come to the concert to sing on stage with the current group the first song ever performed by Syntax Error, "House of Gold," arranged by Bryan Sharpe. Alumni interested in performing can email ridgewoodperformingarts@gmail.com or follow the Facebook page for more information.