Choral students fight stereotypes from the "Glee" effect

Writers: Sara Caldwell & Marlyncia Pierce

Down the halls of William McKinley high school in Lima, Ohio, the fictional students from the hit TV show Glee spark major chords with the stereotypical drama of students - all the while, bringing a new wave of singing and entertainment to its choral group and audience. Every Wednesday night at 9 p.m - eastern time - on the FOX Broadcasting network, many viewers tune in to watch the teen sagas as they put their musical spins on popular and classic hits like Kanye West's "Golddigger" and Tina Turner's "Proud Mary." Choral students in the Athens area relate to the show's dramatic portrayal of high school daze and are excited about the future of Fine Arts programs.

"The Glee show will open up more opportunities for Choral groups to expand, and [it] will cause more students to try their local chorus groups out," said LeTroy Billups, Clarke Central high school student of Athens, Ga.
While some students are optimistic about Glee's influence in their choral programs, a few miles across town at Cedar Shoals High School, the optimism is viewed on a different scale.
"I think the show will set standards high," said Senior Emily Cochran, 19, of Athens, Ga.
Cochran, who has been singing for as long as she can remember, enjoys Glee but recognizes that it is only a television show.
Fellow classmate Senior John Swilley, 17, feels that the show gives unrealistic expectations of high school chorus.
With the intense drama surrounding characters Rachel Berry, one of the most talented musical hopes of teacher Will Schuester's glee club, along with the clueless, but charming, voice of football player Finn Hudson, the choral atmosphere ignites in stereotypical chaos. On the show, the jock hides his voice talents from his perfect cheerleader girlfriend, and the controversy between these high school groups carries on from episode to episode--keeping its audience from week to week. The overall message behind the show is focused in entertainment.
“I think people see the show and expect that that’s what chorus is like – but it’s not," said Swilley. "On the show, they pick up the music and just know everything."
Fine Art instructors at CSHS disagree with the excess glamour that the show registers to the viewers.

"That show is taking it to the extreme," said Linda Moon, the choral instructor at Cedar Shoals High. "You’re always going to find the attitudes [in chorus] that you see in Glee, but I think they have glamorized it a little too much – it almost makes a joke out of it."
Glee does not only showcase the lives of its choral characters. It also includes comedic and dramatic plots within the teaching staff of McKinley High School. Stories unfurl between the show choir's teacher, Will Schuester, and abrasive cheerleading coach, Sue Sylvester. With the ongoing rivalry between the McKinley show choir and award winning cheerleading squad, the show centralizes on typical personality of the high school characters.
"It makes me angry, because we are trying to fight those types of stereotypes and attitudes- and not just with students," said Moon. "There are teachers who have those attitudes, [but] I haven’t found any one as extreme as the coach or cheerleading coach [from the show]."

Moon, a teacher of 36 years - four years of the 36 dedicated to Cedar Shoals, strives to teach the students a different range of genres in her classes. From classical to pop musicals, Moon's philosophy is to give students a "well- rounded perspective of the choral music," according to Moon.
After hardwork, dedication, and outreach to the Athens community to generate more awareness about the Cedar Shoals choral program, Moon and her concert choir were invited to sing on Easter Sunday - April 15. at Carnegie Hall.
Across Route 10 on Hog Mountain Road, The "Glee effect" has taken its toll on the Oconee County students in Katie Williams' class. Adjacent to the band room in OCHS, a lively space opens up to the choral sanctuary. Williams, the choral instructor teaches a range of music, and recently taught "Let Me Fly, a spiritual with messages of freedom interlaced between the sharps, flats, and arpeggios. Even though chorus somewhat bridges the gap between the art of writing with lyrical arts, this particular program offers strength in another way. By providing an expressive outlet, students find a sense of belonging, according to Williams.

“[Chorus] is their bright moment of the day,” said Williams. “Some don’t have a ‘home’ in High School or feel like they belong. I will take them all.”

Along with the welcoming atmosphere of her class, Williams incorporates current themes in her classroom.

"Katie Williams has a kickin' show choir, like Glee, over at OCHS," said University of Georgia Senior, Paige Tillotson. Tilloston is a Music Education major and is a student teacher with Williams.

"But [Glee] as an example of what high school voices can realistically do, it's completely far-fetched," said Tilloston. "Even though it is completely musically unrealistic, I do think it will get a lot more kids interested and involved in choir in High Schools, which is super important! Even if these kids aren't on the same musical level as the performers on Glee, music isn't about being the best, it's about the experience!"

Despite the dramatic appeal and sensational story lines of Glee, students across Athens, particularly choral students, follow the angst and drama of the show waiting for the next melodic vocal moment. No longer the losers from the club prior to Mr. Schuester's appearance on the Fox show, McKinley students and local high school Athenians alike can celebrate the glee found in their music.