The Chambers Choir at Mater Dei High School is not just a vocal group—it’s a competitive, selective ensemble where dedication and love for music drives students to push themselves to new levels of performance. Chambers devotes 5-10 hours a week to rehearsals both in and outside of the classroom helping young singers build strong connections and strive for excellence as a unit.

Director of Choral and Vocal Music Jodi Reed has been instructing the Chambers Choir for six years now. With an extensive background in music education, Reed holds an undergraduate degree in piano performance and pedagogy, a masters of music in choral conducting, as well as a doctorate in instrumental to choral conducting. Reed’s diverse and varied levels of expertise have shaped her approach to teaching and enhanced the overall quality of Chambers, as she fosters a deep sense of drive, passion, and unity to the group. 

“[The kids] know that when they come to class, they’re part of something bigger than themselves,” Reed said. “I put a lot of emphasis on each student leading in every way that they can–whether it’s with their personality, hard work, or vocal talent.” 

Reed dedicates a significant amount of time to selecting music for the Chambers Choir, a process known as programming. Carefully choosing collegiate-level pieces that challenge her students, Reed hopes to build resilience among the group to cultivate teamwork, develop their music capabilities, and work through challenging repertoires.

“Not every student is going to love each piece, but they usually end up loving it because they put hard work into it,” Reed said. “By virtue of doing it, they rise and become ready for it. Through that process of having to put that hard work in, the growth is tremendous.”

Central to her teaching philosophy is personal development, where each rehearsal is integral to improving and mastering different skill sets. Because of this, Reed holds deep gratitude and love for the rehearsals that lead to each performance, a process where true fulfillment lies.

“There’s always room to grow,” Reed said. “There’s always room to improve vocally, [improve] musicianship skills, [and grow in terms of] unity. And, [I] always want next year’s group to be better than the last.”

This continuous improvement is a value that holds true to many of her students, including Student Director and senior Niko Manapat. Manapat was first introduced to choir his sophomore year, and was drawn to the class and inspired by past students. He auditioned for Chambers at the end of that same year and was accepted, further deepening his skills and involvement. Now in his final year, Manapat reflects on his personal growth throughout the years that have enabled him to find a newfound sense of confidence. 

“When I first joined choir, I was very intimidated because I felt like I was going to be judged for not knowing how to sing well,” Manapat said. “But, I have adapted by seizing more opportunities to put myself out there such as solos and being a part of Chambers.”

As a member of the Choir Council, Manapat has played a pivotal role in organizing meetings with other members, leading rehearsals, and ensuring the ensemble’s productivity. This capacity of leadership provides a unique opportunity for him to lift up his contemporaries through words of encouragement, even during the most intense rehearsals. 

“Though it does sound small, people carry those compliments with them the entire day and the difference that it makes to one person is so huge,” Manapat said. 

Manapat is grateful for the safe space Chambers has granted him, especially with the lifelong friendships he made along the way. He looks back on past opportunities to build community and relationships.

“I’ve been a part of choir for three years and over those years, I have made so many memories like the New York Tour and the choir retreats at Big Bear,” Maapat said. “Most of my friends came from choir class, and now I can’t go a day without hanging out with them.”

Senior Micah Golden shares a similar sentiment about growth and personal fulfillment. Prior to his junior year, Golden took a major step in his vocal career by auditioning for Chambers in the hopes to leave a lasting impact and pave the way for younger choir students.

“What made me really want to audition for [Chambers] was that I wanted to set an example for people,” Golden said. “I wanted to be an example that people can look up to. It’s fun to continue evolving and learning more.”

For Golden, the dedication required to be involved in Chambers drives him to deeply engage with the music he learns, as well as challenges him to push boundaries in his vocal performances. 

“Chambers has a deeper level of commitment and a sense of professionalism all around,” Golden said. “It demands a lot of focus and attention and dives deep into different elements, which is key to how I’ve adapted and grown over the years.”

Golden has a particular eye for detail, which has been essential to his experience in Chambers and passion for music. He looks beyond simply learning the notes but discovering a deeper, resonating message within each song. This allows him to connect different emotions to each and every lyric, moving him through each performance.

“Every piece has something unique and beautiful attributed to it,” Golden said. “I was really interested to see what kind of pieces we would be getting to perform and see if there was a theme to follow up with it overall.”

Sophomore Ava Farao has been part of choir since her freshman year, and this is her first year on Chambers. Although new to the group, Farao was motivated to be involved in the school and meet people who share a similar passion in music. She has learned to navigate through the time commitment of Chambers by learning balance between extracurriculars and the importance of communication. These factors have been vital to her success in Chambers.

“[I’ve adapted to the workload] by managing my time and scheduling ahead of time. I make sure to talk with everybody like Mrs. Reed and my coaches in order to make time for all my activities,” Farao said.

The focus of collaboration within this choir has helped Farao build character and learn valuable life lessons, as she works toward a collective goal with other members of the group.

“It’s a lot of hard work, but it’s worth it,” Farao said. “In choir, we have to be all as one so I’ve learned unity and how to be more selfless.”

As the members of Chambers continue to devote themselves to their craft, each person feels an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and pride. Golden looks back to one of his very favorite performances, during a rare opportunity for Chambers to participate in the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) festival last year. He feels especially proud that all of their collective effort paid off in a powerful way and looks forward to what the group can bring forth in the upcoming year.

“All of the hard work, build up, and having that reaction come out of the audience felt very joyous,” Golden said. “I felt proud of not just myself but of everybody for the effort and time we all put in.” 

The cultivation of mutual respect and friendship has created a supportive community where each student feels empowered to share in the same passions. Reed is deeply inspired by the positive spirit of her students and hopes to continue leading Chambers for many years to come.

“[What inspires me are] the kids,” Reed said. “They’re amazing. I work with the most amazing human beings that there are, and they inspire me every day, and they make me want to be better because of their humanity. They’re just good people.”