As school bells again ring and kids with backpacks make their way across campus, beautiful singing waifs through the air at Gilroy’s high schools. Thanks to two newly hired, energetic and enthusiastic music specialists, the choral program that retired teacher Phil Robb spent 30 years building into one of the best in Northern California is alive and well and will continue to be one of our city’s great assets.
At Christopher High School, Claire Massey bubbles with joy when speaking of her choirs, the fun they have and how well they have already learned their music. Her teaching load includes chamber choir, men’s choir, advanced women’s choir and beginning women’s choir, which is already 40 strong. For concerts she will also present a concert choir made up of all students in the choir program. The enthusiastic teacher also shares directing the afterschool Ascencion Solorsano Middle School choir with Jonathan Souza (Gilroy High School) and will play piano for the junior high choir concerts.
Claire was born in Sacramento and grew up in Cameron Park. After earning a bachelor’s degree in piano performance and a bachelor’s degree in music education at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, she received her teaching credential from Sacramento State University. Before accepting the position in Gilroy, she taught at a middle school in the Sacramento area and operated her own piano studio.
Claire loves to watch the change that comes over kids as they go through the process of learning and performing music. She spoke with passion as she told me how an autistic child she worked with, who didn’t speak for years, suddenly began to sing with a beautiful voice.
“The repetition of the music triggered his response,” she said. “Music is a wonderful stress release. So many kids are emotionally changed when they engage in music. They become fulfilled.”
With a clear picture of the year ahead, Claire announced that the first Christopher High School choral concert will be held in October.
“My men’s chorus is going to the Real Men Sing event at San Jose State and will perform the music they learn for the event at our October Concert,” she said.
She also plans to start a CHS tradition, a Madrigal Dinner, to be held every year in March. Complete with Renaissance music and costumes, it is something for the Gilroy Community to look forward to.
At Gilroy High School, Jonathan Souza is having a great time getting to know the kids in his program. With a full teaching load as choir director and marching band director, plus afterschool choir at South Valley Middle School and afterschool choir at Ascencion Solorsono, he has many new faces and names to learn.
Born in Modesto, he moved to Humboldt County at age 3. He did his undergraduate work at Humboldt State University and went on to graduate studies at San Jose State University, where he earned a master’s degree in choral music and choral conducting. He credits Dr. Charlene Archibeque, San Jose State’s choral director, with having a huge part in shaping his philosophy and who he is now. As part of his graduate studies, he traveled with the San Jose State Choraliers, his first taste of living internationally.
After graduation he taught at Fortuna High School in Humboldt County, where his father had taught for 20 years. Married with two children, Jonathan and wife Christina decided it was time to live outside the United States. The family moved to Puerto Vallarta where Jonathan was employed by the American School as a music teacher and Christina was employed as a counselor. He loved the opportunity to be in Mexico, but missed choral ensembles. After living in Mexico for two years the family relocated to Gilroy in time for Jonathan to be indoctrinated into Gourmet Alley duty at the 2013 Garlic Festival.
“Music and arts,” Jonathan shared, “are essential to the human experience and how we relate to the world. As educators we need to give kids experiences as both participants and observers and hope that they take a little of these experiences with them into adulthood.”
COMING IN OCTOBER
Christopher High School choral concert, Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at CHS dining commons, 850 Day Road, Gilroy.
Gilroy High School Choral Concert, Oct. 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the student center. Park off Princevalle at W. 10th Street.
Carol Harris represents the City of Gilroy Art and Culture Commission.
