Kinnelon High School’s very own Caitlin Chein, member of the KHS Chamber choir and co-director of the Contemporary Choir, was nominated by concert and chamber choir director Charles Linnell as one of the Mayo Performing Arts Center’s music students of the month for the month of October.
The award is for her outstanding work and dedication as a singer at KHS. Each month, MPAC hosts an awards ceremony for a select group of students nominated by their high school chorus directors as talented musicians. These students will also be given the opportunity to perform at an end-of-the-year recital with each other at the center.
“Mr. Linnell talked to me after class one day and handed me a congratulations letter, which explained what the award was. It also included a form to fill out with contact information for the ceremony and to contact the recipients the future about an end-of-the-year recital. I was shocked at first, but want to thank Mr. Linnell for nominating me,” says Chein.
Chein received the award Oct. 17th, at MPAC, and also got to meet The Tenors, a well renowned vocal group, that night.
“The ceremony was short; there were thirteen other students from different schools, and we were called onto the stage by Jenny Boeckle, the education manager at MPAC, a little before the performance by The Tenors began,” she says. “We actually did get to meet them, take pictures, and ask them questions. They asked us some too about the kind of music we sing in school. It was really cool.”
As for Chein, music has been a big part of her life since she was a child. “Though I don’t take voice lessons, I have been playing piano since I was seven and guitar since I was thirteen,” she says. “Singing has still always been a passion of mine; I always sing along when I hear music, and car rides with my brother are always fun because he also loves to sing, though its more fun when he beatboxes.”
Not to mention, Chein has done various choirs and groups within Kinnelon to follow her passion. “I have been in school choirs for as long as I can remember; I did Star Choir for all three years at PRM, I have been in Chambers since my freshman year, I was a part of the contemporary choir my junior year along with co-directing it now, and was in the KHS productions of The Addams Family and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee my freshman and sophomore years,” she says.
Though unsure of whether or not she wants to pursue music after high school, Chein hopes to continue singing for as long as possible. “I hope music will still be a part of my life. I want to continue singing in choirs and acapella groups through college if I can,” says Chein.
“Be passionate about music because the best feeling is knowing that the people listening are feeling the same passion and joy for music that you are,” Chein said. Though she is not sure of what the future may hold, Chein intends to follow her passions and encourages others to do so, as well.
