Music with a message has been at the center of this year’s West Plains High School choir season, with each concert built around a common theme.
Director Kelly Dame said the theme, “Be the Wind Beneath Their Wings,” is meant to recognize people who have made a difference.
“We want to honor those who have made the world a better place,” she said.
Selections for the fall, winter and spring concerts were chosen with that idea in mind.
Dame said the program for the annual Just Desserts event also reflects the theme, focusing on family and sacrifice.
“It’s about the power of the love of family and how it relates to sacrifice,” she said.
Competition music, however, follows a different path. Dame said those selections are based on musical content and difficulty rather than a central theme. This year’s pieces include one by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a piece by a Korean composer and a work by contemporary composer Z. Randall Stroope.
“All three are challenging selections,” Dame said.
Rising to that challenge, the choir has seen significant individual success this spring. With districts having wrapped up in late March, 14 soloists advance to the state competition April 30 at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Additionally, two members — seniors Edson Ford and Camden Roberts — were selected for the Missouri All-State Choir.
“There are some outstanding soloists in this year’s choir,” Dame said.
This year’s group is also notable for its sheer size and veteran experience, boasting 36 seniors on the roster.
“This choir is somewhat different in that it is old,” Dame said.
Despite the unique makeup of the group, tradition remains a key part of the program’s foundation. Dame noted certain staple songs, including “In the Bleak Midwinter” and “The Way We Were,” continue to be performed at the winter and spring concerts. Because many current members have family ties to the program, those traditions carry deep meaning.
“Those past members all know the importance of singing those pieces,” Dame said.
Ultimately, the director hopes the choir’s hard work resonates meaningfully with the community, leaving an impression that lasts.
“I hope that the audience leaves a concert feeling moved in some way,” she said.
The West Plains High School chamber choir was awarded "exemplary" March 27 at the West Plains Civic Center during a Missouri State High School Activities Association large group festival that featured the chamber, concert and varsity choirs.
Fourteen West Plains High School choir soloists, along with small ensembles, will compete at the 2026 MSHSAA State Music Festival from April 30 to May 2 at the University of Missouri campus in Columbia.
