The Black and White

By: Bridget Pouliot

In “Flight Song” (composed by Kim Andre Arnesen), poet Euan Tait writes, “All we are, we have found in song: you have drawn this song from us. Songs of lives unfolding fly overhead, cry overhead: longing, rising from the song within.”

Lyrics can mean a lot to singers when they have an emotional connection to them. This emotional pull and interpretation is one of the most important things singers utilize to convey the story of the song to the audience. For many students at Pilgrim, especially those part of the Pilgrim Chorale in 2022-2023, the lyrics above have a special meaning: it reminds them of their safe space in school, and their conductor who makes the auditorium home.

Having taught for almost 18 years (including at Rhode Island College presently), Mrs. Soares has impacted the lives of many students. She’s the chorus and chorale director at Pilgrim, and the head of the Choral Pathway. Currently the President-Elect of Rhode Island’s sector of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), she is not only a leader there, but is also a refuge for students within the walls of Pilgrim.

“Soares is more than just a teacher; she’s a mentor,” senior Alexandra Howlett, a Pilgrim Chorus and Chorale member for all four years of high school, explained. “Every time we have to fill out those annual forms from the school, they ask ‘is there a teacher you trust in this school that you feel comfortable talking to?’ Every single time, I answer ‘yes’, because Mrs. Soares is always that person. She makes her classroom into an empathic environment that prioritizes each and every student.”

In addition to teaching four classes during school hours, Mrs. Soares also teaches an extra class after school every Wednesday from 2:00 to 4:30. Along with this, the big chorus (all four chorus classes combined) meets weekly for Tuesday after-school practice from 2:00 to 3:05.

Three-year chorale member and senior Kamryn Gavin described the environment, “It is a place where things get done and students can work towards and connect with a common goal through music, no matter their differences.” He said, “My favorite part about the program is those days where between the intense music and practice, when the chorale can get together and enjoy hanging out with the people they see for hours on end, such as caroling or game days.”

Junior Frantz Delias, who’s been part of the chorale for three years, expressed similar sentiments, saying, “Obviously, the work can be very hard at times, but I love it. The ability to be laid back and fun then straight back into work is a quality not many other teachers have.” He described the chorale’s ability to joke with each other and create a close connection. “I always have fun in chorus, and I appreciate Mrs. Soares’s high expectations of me; she makes me a better singer, and I will forever remember what I learned in chorale.”

“My favorite part about chorus and chorale is when we make mistakes,” Kaylee Lowe, a junior in her third year with chorale, commented. “I’m grateful that the environment Mrs. Soares has created allows us to be able to laugh together at our mistakes, and then learn how to fix it.”

Along with two yearly concerts – a winter concert and a spring concert – both the Pilgrim Chorus and the Pilgrim Chorale also compete at Choral Festival each March. Choral Festival, run by RIMEA (Rhode Island Music Education Association – an organization Mrs. Soares works closely with), is a “competition” for schools around the state to demonstrate their musical abilities and talents. Each group performs three songs, then is judged and participates in a workshop with one of the adjudicators.

When asked about Choral Festival and what it’s like to perform, four-year Chorale member Brodie McKay explained that he enjoyed singing with the groups. “What I enjoy the most [about the experience] is hearing what we sound like after a song has truly clicked and we have all done the work to truly connect with the piece.”

Mrs. Soares always chooses a diverse repertoire of songs for her ensembles. Along with doing multiple pieces in different languages yearly (such as Zulu, Latin, German, Spanish, and more), the Pilgrim Chorale’s favorite piece every year is their spiritual. This year, they are performing “My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord” by Moses Hogan (a favorite composer of the group).

Grace Wolfe, a senior and two-year Chorale member, explained how Mrs. Soares introduced her to different types of music. “She went in depth explaining songs and made me love to sing it more,” Grace said. “She’s so passionate about music, and about her students.”

“I’ve noticed that almost everyone really wants to do well in Mrs. Soares’s class, at least because of how much we know she cares for us and our desire to make her proud,” described Addison Eaton. As a sophomore in her second year with chorale, she’s very well accustomed to the expectations set and the feeling of accomplishment when the choir succeeds together. “She has an amazing way of making every student feel important. I have teachers who were still calling us by the incorrect names during midterms, but Mrs. Soares had all of our names memorized by the second day of school, and additionally, our pronouns and preferred nicknames. She takes the time to get to know us.”

On top of competition, workshops, and concerts, Mrs. Soares also encourages her students to audition for musical opportunities outside of school. From helping students practice the National Anthem prior to sports games to aiding them in musical theatre auditions, she’s always there to lend an ear. Each year, she has many kids audition for Rhode Island’s All-State Chorus, and this year, twenty-six Pilgrim chorus and chorale students made it in. In addition to All-State, two Pilgrim students made it into the ACDA All-Nationals Honors Choir and another made it into the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) All-Eastern Chorus.

Audrey Kuiawa, a fourth-year member of the chorale, was the student who made it into the NAfME All-Eastern Chorus for the second year in a row. She expressed, “I know that I would not be the same person I am now going into college” without the help of Mrs. Soares.

Mrs. Soares was chosen as the March Faculty Spotlight, not only in honor of Music Education in our Schools Month, but also because of her dedication and immense contributions to the Pilgrim Music Program. Whether they are deeply interested in music or haven’t sung a day in their life, her students can still find joy in going to her class everyday. Mrs. Soares has shown them that music is for everyone. 

New to both Pilgrim and chorale this year, Andrew Pouliot explained, “Mrs. Soares has made singing, which was once barely a part of my life, now something I do daily and love.”