Two singers complete youth choir careers

For the past nine years for Alyssa Boley and the past eight for Kimberly Wilson, virtually every single Monday night of the school year has been spent in Bend practicing with the award-winning Youth Choir of Central Oregon.

The pair performed in their final concert together on Sunday, May 22, at the Tower Theatre in Bend and were honored along with five other graduates for their contributions and dedication to the choir by director Beth Basham.

Wilson remembers Boley encouraging her to join the choir. The two have tallied 30-plus concerts over the years and a number of trips including one to England in 2000.

The discipline to make practice week after week for years is more amazing considering the other obligations the two girls have had during their middle and high school years.

Both are honor roll students. Boley has been active in band, jazz band, ballet, art and musical theater. She plays tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, percussion, and piano.

Wilson has been part of the school choir at Sisters High School, participated in the student leadership program, taken voice lessons, ballet, and ice skating, and even ran cross country as a senior.

Both girls count their Youth Choir experience as being well worth the countless trips to Bend.

“I have a love for music that I will keep the rest of my life,” said Wilson. “There is an amazing connection when you share a song with someone.”

Boley says she will miss the high quality of music the Youth Choir produced.

“The people in the Youth Choir are so dedicated and they love to sing,” she said. “I have gained poise, musical knowledge and many wonderful memories.”

Wilson has been accepted to Azusa Pacific in Southern California where she will double major in political science and global studies. Boley will be close by in Orange, California, at Chapman University where she plans to major in studio art and minor in dance.

Director Basham hopes to continue getting singers from Sisters and encourages those interested to contact the Youth Choir office to find out about getting involved next fall. The debut choir currently has four singers from Sisters and the premier choir includes two in addition to Wilson and Boley.

The YCCO office phone number is 385-0470.