Spirit of Sound reunion slated for July 25

TICONDEROGA | This summer, a reunion many years in the making and rooted in friendship, the love of song, and the passion for performance will grace the stage. On Saturday, July 25, former members of the Ticonderoga High School's locally legendary female show choir, the Spirit of Sound, will once again unite for an enchanting swan song, and the community is invited. "I am a believer that music in your life is the kind of thing you do carry with you throughout," noted former member and Ti High Class of 2001 alum Katie Breitenbach. "The particular Spirit of Sound ensemble was a small working group where you developed close relationships and worked together to produce a singular, beautiful thing. It is so much like what we are asked to do in the workplace or in small family units. The Spirit of Sound helped me figure out how to form those connections and produce great things when you are working in a group." And that group of prestigious native Ticonderoga singers will shine once again. Under the direction and founding of retired Ti High music teacher, Nelson Shapiro, the Spirit of Sound was a small women's ensemble show choir that featured approximately 15 of the most talented of voices in the freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior classes each academic year. "I had a vision of what music could be in this community," Shapiro said. "It was exciting to see the music program grow and take advantage of opportunities as kids' interests grew throughout my career." Spanning from 1978 to 2004, the girls in their white button down shirts, black pants, and red bow ties were instantly recognizable within the North Country, and earned themselves an esteemed reputation for their dedication to their craft while performing at the County and State level. Not only did the group showcase themselves during seasonal school concerts, but also at various community events, nursing homes, as well as the Plaza in Albany and the Plattsburgh mall during Christmas. For many of the girls, the ensemble was their primary extra-curricular activity, that's how much time investment was required to reach the desired level of musical excellence. Well over 1,000 girls were members over the Spirit of Sound's 26 year run. "I loved the feeling of all our voices blending into one sound. It gave me chills sometimes. It also created such a strong sense of friendship and support," noted former member Casey King. "Spending hours together rehearsing, traveling, and performing made us feel like our own little family. " The reunion was the brainchild of Breitenbach, who was a member of the distinguished group of female vocalists from 1997-2001. Inspired during her seventh grade son's school concert this past March, the timing seemed opportune to pay credence to a beautiful thing from her past, knowing others who had experienced the magic would feel the same way. "It was so nostalgic for me in terms of my own memories of being in Ti and being in the high school auditorium and being in band and chorus and Spirit of Sound ," she revealed. "I just go tot thinking it would be a nice opportunity while the timing is still available to us to try and bring everyone together." Shapiro was amenable to the idea, and planning for the event was soon underway. "The Spirit of Sound had a profound impact on me," he admitted. "I'm excited to see everyone and learn about their lives now. I want to hear about their families and what they have done." In former member Casey King's opinion, a huge part of what made her Spirit of Sound experience from 1993 to 1997 so memorable was Shapiro and his guiding hand. "His passion, patience, and ability to somehow wrangle a room full of teenage girls into sounding beautiful made the group feel like both a family and a place where we could truly grow," she said. The concept for the reunion is a one-day event in which all former Spirit of Sound alumni from any year are invited to register- even if they haven't sung a note of anything since they graduated. Shapiro will be selecting a handful of Spirit of Sound favorites from over the years, and a daytime rehearsal on July 25 bringing voices together from different decades of excellence will precede the evening musical extravaganza. "This will be very similar to a Spirit of Sound environment," Breitenbach previewed. "Mr. Shapiro will conduct and lead the whole thing, and that evening we will present those we worked on to an audience of friends and family and community members." The other primary objective of the reunion, of course, is to allow the women and their former educator to be together and share memories in an environment that most likely will still feel second nature once it gets underway- some experiences get under the skin and never truly leave. "My happiest memories in high school are from being in Mr. Shapiro's music room with those people, four years of Spirit of Sounders and our accompanist Val Dixon and Mr. Shapiro," Breitenbach expressed. "I can smell it and hear it as I am talking about it. I love music and have passed that on to my children- it sticks with you." To register for the reunion, please email spiritofsoundreunion@gmail.com. The performance venue on July 25 is yet-to-be-determined. Please follow Spirit of Sound Reunion on Facebook and Instagram to receive news and reunion updates as planning continues to unfold. "Looking back, it wasn't just about the music, it was about being part of something meaningful during a really formative time in life," King reflected. "The countless hours of rehearsals and dedication taught me discipline, teamwork, and commitment in ways that have genuinely stayed with me into adulthood."

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Spirit of Sound reunion slated for July 25

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