Four Venice High students have been selected to participate in the Southern California Vocal Association High School Honor Choir this year. 

Participants from Venice High include seniors Chaya Forman, Eric Lee, Mirae Lee, and Victor Oguekwe.

SCVA is a non-profit organization that was built to not only support musical educators in the Southern California area, but to also encourage the advancements of all vocalists throughout every grade level. 

According to music teacher Wendy Sarnoff, the choir director, Venice High is the only school in LAUSD that is sending students to the Honor Choir this year. 

“This opportunity is a great experience to add on college applications,” Sarnoff said. “It allows students to have assets for performing arts colleges and gives them the chance to potentially make it big in the music industry.”

The four students auditioned for their placements in the choir in September. 

All students had to fill out an application stating what position they wanted in the choir and had to prepare before the big day. 

“On the audition day we went to go see two judges who tested us on our tonal memory, piano demonstration, singing, and much more,” Mirae said.

This week marks the home stretch for the vocalists, as they are expected to dive into practices and perform in a concert Saturday evening at the University of Redlands Memorial Chapel in Redlands.

“We will mostly be practicing as a whole group for the entire weekend, and the choirs’ directors will get us ready for our parts in the performance,” Mirae said. 

But the Southern Section Honor Choir is not the limit. Beyond SCVA, there lies the California All-State Honor Choir and the ACDA National Honor Choir, which features participants from around the United States.

Nationals are exclusive to only juniors, sophomores, and freshmen.