Juniors & Seniors in 2025-26

TO REGISTER FOR any of the
11TH & 12th GRADE CHOIR Options, SELECT:
9-12TH GRADE CHOIR MU4X02S1, MU4X02S2
WHEN REGISTERING IN INFINITE CAMPUS.
Course registration must be complete before an audition will be scheduled.

There are several choir options available to EHS juniors and seniors:

  • Intermediate-level treble choir: Hornet Chorale - no audition required

  • Intermediate-level tenor/bass choir: Cougar Chorus - no audition required

  • Auditioned-advanced treble choir: Bel Canto (for soprano & alto voices)

  • Auditioned-advanced tenor/bass choir: Cantemus (tenor, baritone, bass voices)

  • Auditioned-advanced mixed choir: Concert Choir (soprano, alto, tenor, bass voices)

Please read below to learn more about each of these choirs, as well as the audition process for the advanced ensembles.

Auditioned Choirs: Bel Canto, Cantemus,
& Concert choir

Juniors and seniors who desire an advanced choral experience are eligible to audition for placement in either Concert Choir, Bel Canto, or Cantemus. Placement in one of these choirs is based upon voice type, skill-level, and ensemble-readiness, as demonstrated through previous choir participation, assessment data, and auditions.

Bel Canto

Register for 9-12th Grade Choir MU4X02S1, MU4X02S2
PREREQUISITE: Audition
GRADE: 10, 11, 12
LENGTH: Full Year, S1 and S2
MEETS REQUIREMENT FOR: Fine Arts Elective
OUT OF CLASS WORK: Periodically

BEL CANTO is a full-year, auditioned choir designed especially for the rehearsal and performance of three and four-part treble music (soprano I, soprano II, alto I, and alto II). Repertoire for Bel Canto ranges from advanced traditional choral literature to contemporary pop arrangements. Auditions with the directors are required in the spring. Vocal technique and basic sight-reading skills are part of each rehearsal. When applicable and appropriate, fundamentals of music theory and music history are reviewed. Attendance is required at each performance, which includes the Fall Concert, Winter Concert, and the Happenin’ Concert. Bel Canto participates in an annual domestic tour with Cantemus and Concert Choir.

Click above to hear Bel Canto sing Hero by Pinkzebra at the Fall Concert, October 17, 2022.

CANTEMUS

Register for 9-12th Grade Choir MU4X02S1, MU4X02S2
PREREQUISITE: Audition
GRADE: 10, 11, 12
LENGTH: Full Year, S1 and S2
MEETS REQUIREMENT FOR: Fine Arts Elective
OUT OF CLASS WORK: Periodically

CANTEMUS is a full-year, auditioned choir designed especially for the rehearsal and performance of three and four-part tenor-bass music (tenor I, tenor II, baritone, bass). Repertoire for Cantemus ranges from advanced traditional choral literature to contemporary pop arrangements. Auditions with the directors are required in the spring. Vocal technique and basic sight-reading skills are part of each rehearsal. When applicable and appropriate, fundamentals of music theory and music history are reviewed. Attendance is required at each performance, which includes the Fall Concert, Winter Concert, and the Happenin’ Concert. Cantemus participates in an annual domestic tour with Bel Canto and Concert Choir.

Click above to hear Cantemus sing They Call the Wind Maria by Alan Jay Lerner & Frederick Loewe, arr. Kirby Shaw, at the Fall Concert, October 17, 2022.

Concert Choir

Register for 9-12th Grade Choir MU4X02S1, MU4X02S2
PREREQUISITE: Audition
GRADE: 11, 12
LENGTH: Full Year, S1 and S2
MEETS REQUIREMENT FOR: Fine Arts Elective
OUT OF CLASS WORK: Periodically

CONCERT CHOIR is a full-year, auditioned choir for mixed voices that focuses primarily on the rehearsal and performance of advanced standard choral literature from the Renaissance through the Twenty-First Century. Auditions with the directors are required in thespring. Vocal technique and sight-reading are stressed in every rehearsal. When applicable and appropriate, fundamentals of music theory and music history are reviewed. Attendance is required at each performance, which includes the Fall Concert, Winter Jubilee, Winter Concert, Current Jam, and Commencement. Concert Choir travels each year on a late-winter tour to various destinations in the United States.

Weekly attendance at Men’s Chorus and Treble Chorus morning rehearsals is an expectation and requirement of membership in Concert Choir.

Click above to hear Concert Choir sing Flight Song by Kim Andre Arnesen at the Fall Concert, October 17, 2022.

Click above to hear Concert Choir sing Any Way You Want It in Current Jam 2022.

HORNET CHORALE & COUGAR CHORUS

WHAT’S IN A NAME? THE NAMES HONOR THE NINE-YEAR CO-EXISTENCE (1972-1981) OF EDINA-EAST H.S. (“HORNETS”) & EDINA-WEST H.S. (“COUGARS”). BOTH SCHOOLS’ CONTRIBUTIONS STILL INFLUENCE OUR CHORAL PROGRAM TODAY.

No audition is required for membership in one of these intermediate-level choirs.

HORNET CHORALE

Register for 9-12th Grade Choir MU4X02S1, MU4X02S2
PREREQUISITE: None
GRADE: 10, 11, 12
LENGTH: Full Year, S1 and S2
MEETS REQUIREMENT FOR: Fine Arts Elective
OUT OF CLASS WORK: Periodically

HORNET CHORALE is a full-year choir (no audition required) for 10th-12th graders (soprano I, soprano II, and alto - SSA) that seeks to develop good vocal techniques through rehearsal and performance experience. The study of music theory, music history, vocal technique, and sight-singing are also incorporated into rehearsals. Repertoire for this choir ranges from traditional choral literature to contemporary pop arrangements. Attendance is required at the Fall Concert, the Winter Concert and the Happenin’ Concert in the spring. Additional combined rehearsals may also be held outside the school day in preparation for each individual concert.

Click above to hear Hornet Chorale sing Exsultate by Vicki Tucker Courtney at the Fall Concert, October 18, 2022.

Click above to hear Dynamite arranged by Roger Emerson at Happenin’ ‘22, the annual spring concert performed by Hornet Chorale, Cougar Chorus, Bel Canto, and Cantemus.

COUGAR CHORUS

Register for 9-12th Grade Choir MU4X02S1, MU4X02S2
PREREQUISITE: None
GRADE: 10, 11, 12
LENGTH: Full Year, S1 and S2
MEETS REQUIREMENT FOR: Fine Arts Elective
OUT OF CLASS WORK: Periodically

COUGAR CHORUS is a full-year choir (no audition required) for 10th-12th graders (tenor I, tenor II and bass – TTB) that seeks to develop good vocal techniques through rehearsal and performance experience. The study of music theory, music history, vocal technique, and sight-singing are also incorporated into rehearsals. Repertoire for this choir ranges from traditional choral literature to contemporary pop arrangements. Attendance is required at the Fall Concert, the Winter Concert and the Happenin’ Concert in the spring. Additional combined rehearsals may also be held outside the school day in preparation for each individual concert.

Click above to hear Cougar Chorus sing Funiculi, Funicula by Luigi Denza (1846-1922), arr. Vicki Tucker Courtney, at the Fall Concert, October 18, 2022.

CHORAL AUDITION & PLACEMENT INFORMATION

It is our goal to place singers in the appropriate choir based and their skill and readiness.  For students seeking membership in one of the auditioned choirs, the following factors are considered in choir placement:

  • Evaluation of rehearsal skills throughout the school year

  • Evaluation of singing assessments throughout the year

  • Mid-year evaluation

  • Mid-year audition (Feb./Mar.)

  • End-of-year audition (May/June)

Choir students will be given feedback periodically throughout the school year, as well as after the mid-year audition to identify strength and weaknesses.  Students will be notified of final choir placement for the following school year via U.S. Mail in early June.

Additional opportunities for juniors & seniors

  • 9th-12th grade TTB Ensemble (weekly extra-curricular chamber choir)

  • 10th-12th grade SSA Ensemble (weekly extra-curricular chamber choir)

  • Chamber Singers

  • All-State Choir

  • Edina Men’s Chorus

  • Treble Chorus

  • Spring Concert Special Acts

  • Holiday Season Caroling

  • National Anthem Singers