Standing on stage, bright lights shining directly on them, and singing in front of an audience is something both senior Ashely O’Toole and senior Abby Smith often encounter.  

O’Toole devotes many hours to The Merit School of Music. Spending eight hours every Saturday at the Merit School, O’Toole participates in classes, such as conservatory choir, music theory, vocal technique class, and musical ensemble. Similar to O’Toole, Smith spends hours taking private voice lessons to perfecting her opera voice. “For me, it is an outlet and makes me feel a lot more powerful because I can fill up a room with no microphone,” Smith said.

The Merit School states that it has been, “transforming the lives of Chicago-area youth by providing the highest quality music education since 1979.”

O’Toole is only allowed three absences, and she takes her classes very seriously. She has homework assignments, such as preparing songs or doing worksheets for her music theory class.

In preparation for her audition into the Merit School sophomore year, she had to learn two songs, including one in a different language. O’Toole also had to take a music theory placement test to decide which class she would be placed into. She got into the Opera and Musical Theater Program, which is limited to fifteen students.

At the Merit School, O’Toole performs on stage as a solo vocalist, and takes a mixture of solo and group classes.

O’Toole also participates in Grape Jam and the Special Chorus at Parker. “I like getting both perspectives of singing in a group and singing alone,” O’Toole said. “It is nice to be in a group and be able to create music together but it is really nice to share something individual when you sing alone.”

O’Toole has been singing since she was seven years old.“It is one of my biggest passions,” O’Toole said. “I feel like it is a way for everyone to connect and I feel like it breaks barriers. You don’t need to speak the same language but when you sing everyone understands what you are saying.”

Smith has been singing for nine years. Although she has only sung opera for one year, she placed fifth across all voice parts in the New York Lyric Opera competition for high schoolers. She plans on competing more this upcoming Spring. “Competing showed me that I actually do like opera and that I have fun singing it,” Smith said.

Similar to O’Toole, Smith participates in Grape Jam and the Special Chorus at Parker. “I like having both because they are very different to me,” Smith said. “I go into situations singing alone completely different than when I sing in a group. In a group, it is like being on a team and I like having other people to rely on in choir and working to blend my sound with them but there is something cool about being able to be alone.”

“The easiest way for young adults to get involved who love to sing is through joining a chorus, singing with community organizations, or participating in Parker’s many singing opportunities,” Middle School Choir Teacher Rob Denien said.

Both Smith and O’Toole love to sing and are passionate about it. One piece of advice Smith would give is, “Do it for fun, don’t do it for anything else, do it because you enjoy it.”