ABOUT OUR MUSIC PROGRAM
Currently, EHS offers two choirs and a band.
The EHS Falcon Choir is available to all students. While singing a variety of music, students practice vocal technique, music literacy, stage presence, teamwork, and work ethic. Falcon Choir performs at school, at choral festivals, and around the community.
The EHS Chamber Choir is Elmira’s select choir, available by audition only. Students in Chamber Choir practice more advanced music and take on more responsibility during the learning process. Chamber Choir performs at school, at choral festivals, and around the community.
The EHS Band is a young program, having been brought back in 2016 after a few years of not existing. The high school band currently consists mostly of third-year players, though there are opportunities for more experienced players to be challenged further and for less experienced players to catch up. Students are expected to have some playing experience before joining band, but see Mrs. Kappeler if you have questions.
Mrs. Kappeler has two main goals for all music students:
1) To Be Independent Musicians. Students in all three music classes learn and practice reading music every day. They do additional music theory work once per week, and they are constantly challenged to think about music in new ways and truly understand the process of learning it. By becoming smart musicians, they will have the skills and confidence to continue making music beyond high school.
2) To Love Making Music. Through a variety of music and a supportive atmosphere, students should love what they are doing. We aim to have fun in music classes and appreciate ourselves and each other during the learning process. Students also learn that the way to have fun in music is through hard work. After months (and years) of concentration, practice, and calloused guitar fingers, musicians get to be proud of their progress and enjoy the beautiful music that they are able to make together.
ABOUT MRS. KAPPELER
Amy Kappeler grew up on Long Island, NY, in a musical household. She started learning the flute at age 8 and quickly found her home in bands, orchestras, music camps, and practice rooms. She secretly enjoyed singing, but did not actually sing in public until joining choirs in college. She attended Washington University in St. Louis, where she earned a Bachelor’s in Computer Science with a second major in Music. She then completed her Master’s in Music Education at Indiana University.
Upon happily relocating to the West Coast, she taught in the Salem-Keizer school district for 3 years, spent a year in Central Linn, and has been at Fern Ridge since 2008. She sings with the Clefs of Insanity and the Eugene Symphony Chorus, and also teaches private piano and flute lessons. She lives in Eugene with her husband, her toddler son, and a very spoiled cat.