To sign up for the alumni choir, fill out this Google Form, call the high school or email keasal.matthew@mansfieldschools.org.
MANSFIELD — Matt Keasal has talked with many Mansfield City Schools alumni about their fond memories of high school choir.
Now, he’s inviting Tyger choir alumni to return to the stage.
“Alumni built what we have now,” said Keasal, a fourth year choir director at Mansfield Senior High School. “I’ve met a lot of community members and alumni who ask how the choir is and say they miss it.”
Mansfield City Schools graduates are invited to join current choir students during their performance on May 11. The alumni choir will perform one piece, entitled “Sing,” with all three choirs at Mansfield Senior High School.
“It’s just one of those inspiring choir pieces that talks about individuality and keeping music in your life, which I found appropriate because these people are taking time out of their lives to come sing with us,” Keasal said.
Alumni choir rehearsals are scheduled for April 26, May 3 and May 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. Sheet music and rehearsal tracks are also available for participants who want to practice at home.
Keasal said Senior High has three choirs. There are about 42 students in the symphonic choir, 21 in the treble choir and 15 in the Mansfield Singers — formerly known as the chamber choir.
Keasal said about 15 people have registered for the alumni choir so far.
“I would love to have many more,” he said. “Choir is one of those things where the more people you have the more fun you’re going to have.”
Alumni choir member Maggie Allred said she joined because choir was her favorite part of high school.
“It’s a sector of the arts I’ve missed,” said Allred, a 2020 Mansfield Senior graduate.
“Choir, and the arts department as a whole, was a safe space. Through my years there and varying choir directors, Eachus, Phillips, and Keasal, each one showed genuine care for their students and passion for what they were teaching.”
Keasal said he’s wanted to start an alumni choir since joining the staff at Mansfield Senior High School.
“I had the idea when I started here four years ago,” he said. “The band has alumni events. Football and sports have a lot of alumni things. Why not us?”
The May 11 concert will take place at 7 p.m. at the Mansfield Art Center’s outdoor pavilion. In case of rain, the performance will be moved to the high school.
“If (the alumni choir) is super successful and everybody enjoys it, we can grow it out from there,” Keasal said.
