This season, we introduced the Chorister of the Quarter spotlight, where we feature a different chorister each quarter to take us behind the scenes at Charlotte Choir School. Our first chorister was MasterSinger Langely, who took us through the Fall Concert and all the way to the end of the year with the annual Christmas Concerts. To conclude Langely's time as Chorister of the Quarter, she wrote a blog post reflecting on her experience as a MasterSinger at Charlotte Choir School, and all the “firsts” that have come along with it.

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Becoming a MasterSinger: All My Firsts

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Though this is only my second year at Charlotte Choir School, it undeniably holds a special place in my heart. I joined the Charlotte Choir School MasterSingers in August 2023, right before my junior year. Apparently, it’s unusual for someone to join the choir school so late (and stick around), but thanks to the somewhat relentless convincing of my Latin teacher, Mr. Cudabac (who has two children in the choir), I finally mustered up the courage to audition—and I’m so glad I did.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a singer. It’s been one of the very few constants in my life. Now, as I approach 18, I’ve been singing for nearly 13 years. Music was always there for me when nothing else was, and choir school helped me realize just how important that is.

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A Nerve-Wracking Audition

Going into my audition, which was only a month before the 2023-2024 season started, was nerve-wracking to say the least. I’ve never been particularly nervous about singing, but all I’d heard about were how these teenagers were the best of the best.

The audition itself was a bittersweet moment for me. It was the first and last time my dad ever heard me sing on my own. A week later, he passed away. Overwhelmed, I thought about quitting—after all, these talented people I was about to sing with seemed so much better than me, and maybe I wouldn’t fit in. But one thing I knew for sure was that my dad loved that I loved to sing, so I decided to keep going.

In the end, I realized I didn’t want to become a MasterSinger just because my dad loved my singing; I wanted to do it because I love to sing, and that’s what matters.

The First Rehearsal: A New Beginning

On my way to my first rehearsal, I worried endlessly about not knowing anyone and whether I would be good enough to fit in. But nobody there treated me like an outsider, not even when I struggled or had bad days. The first person to hug me and tell me, “It’s okay, and if it’s not okay now, it will be,” was former chorister Dylan Lauderbaugh. That meant more to me than I can express.

I still remember those words whenever I struggle with the music or have bad days, because it reminds me that these people are now my family. I can’t imagine where I would be today if I had decided to quit. These people, our shared experiences, and the music we make together have become a fundamental part of who I am.

When I first looked at the music we were going to perform, I thought, “No way.” I’d never seen a group of teenage singers so ambitious, hardworking, and dedicated to their craft.

The first “crazy piece” (as I like to call it now) I worked on was Rejoice in the Lamb by Benjamin Britten. I remember thinking I’d never held a piece of sheet music as thick as a book before. The piece was about 16 minutes of continuous singing, and I couldn’t fathom how I would ever memorize all of it. But nobody laughed at me when I struggled with the fast-paced rehearsals and complex sight-singing. I learned to be self-sufficient, practice at home, and steadily gained confidence in my own voice.

There’s nothing quite like the exhilaration of taking a complex piece of music, working hard on it, and then performing it well. When we finish the last note, and the organ cuts off, there’s a moment of silence that hangs in the air before the audience starts to clap. That silence, when everything is still and the final note echoes around me, is my favorite part. It feels like I can physically feel the music coursing through me.

The Solo Audition: A Defining Moment

The first time I auditioned for a solo in choir school, my hands shook like crazy. The solo was for the winter concert—a beautiful, emotional piece called The Sleeping Child by Bob Chilcott. I thought it was the most beautiful solo I’d ever heard (and I still stand by that). I didn’t get the solo, but what mattered to me was that I tried. Even if it was a bit over-ambitious for me, I showed that I was willing to push myself.

Later that week, after our concerts, I was invited to become a choral scholar with Charlotte Choir School and sing with St. Peter’s Choir. Even though I didn’t get the solo I wanted, my willingness to learn and improve led to an even greater opportunity. Now I sing with more incredible musicians, many of whom have more years of experience than I’ve been alive!

Finding My Place in the Choir

When I think of the MasterSingers now, I no longer feel daunted or worried that I’m not good enough. I think of community. My directors and fellow choristers have made me ten times the singer I was when I first started, and they’ve done it in such a short amount of time.

I could never regret the decision I made to become a MasterSinger, because to me, being a MasterSinger means community, love, passion, laughter, teamwork, and so much more. It means napping on Ben during bus rides on tour, it means giggling in the car and singing along to the radio with Abby and Rosie, it means Alto sectionals with Alayna and Molly, and St. Peter’s Choir with Caryn. To me, it means singing under the stars at Valle Crucis on retreat, and group screaming on roller coaster rides at Carowinds.

Though this is only my second year—and my last—I intend to make the most of it. I want to set a good example for the younger choristers at choir camp, sing The Lord Bless You and Keep You with the other seniors at the end of the year, and cherish every moment I get with this incredible community that continues to uplift each other.

Choir School holds a special place in my heart, and all the “firsts” I’ve experienced as a MasterSinger—though daunting at first—have shaped me into the person I am today.