By Chris Moffitt
As she walked into the first rehearsal for the Southwest Regional Choir, Nasrynn Chowdhury embodied Shakespeare’s line: “though she be but little, she is fierce.” During the weekend of February 21, TPA’s petite Nasrynn represented Tempe Prep for the fourth year in a row at the Regional Choir. This year, however, she was ranked as the first chair soprano. Out the 21 schools in our region, which includes McClintock, Dobson, Perry, and several other big schools, Nasrynn was the leading soprano.
This amazing accomplishment, however, did not come on its own. It is the result of countless hours of practicing. To get into the Regional Choir, one must prepare a solo to audition with and then sight sing several lines of music. Nasrynn would practice at least an hour a day to improve her vocal technique and sight singing skills. She says that she was able to prepare so intensely by “digging up that love that I have for music! Once I reminded myself of that, it was no biggie having to practice because I loved what I was doing.”
Once making it into the choir, you feel like you’re walking into a sort of musical paradise. Nasrynn enthusiastically comments, “Regionals is my happy place. I love coming back and learning something different each year. The choir has its own unique sound every year, and it’s very cool to see how the style has evolved over the past four years.” But perhaps the best thing about Regional Choir is “seeing the passion shared by the entire regional choir. You can tell right when you walk through the door that everyone, whether they’re from rival schools or not, are all connected by their love for music.”
However, Regional Choir is not only a great experience in the moment, it has an effect that lasts for life. On this point, Nasrynn says, “I’ve taken away so many wonderful lessons over the past four years. I’ve gotten the opportunity to meet the most amazing people, and I’ve gained an undying love and appreciation for music and a sense of camaraderie that I can use for the rest of my life.”