Students from across the district recently auditioned for a spot in Honors Choir.

Making this group is a big deal.

-Hey, y'all, we're looking at Sunday La Vida.

One, two, a one-two go.

(Mike McGrath) So today we are at the CCSD Middle School and High School Honor Choir.

This event we bring in nationally known clinicians to work with our students.

And then at the end of all this rehearsing, we'll accumulate a big concert at the end for the parents and community.

-Say with me, a, e-a, e-a, o.

[repeating] (Jeffrey Benson) I am the director of choirs at San Jose State University in San Jose, California, and I've been conducting choirs for the last 20 to 25 years.

[students singing] (Claudia) I just enjoy choir a lot, and I really like the inclusivity.

There's a bunch of different people from different races, different backgrounds, and it's like it's fun for me to get to know everybody and to get to sing with people that I may not sing with every day.

(Kristyanna) My family, they all love singing and growing up in an Islander background.

I'm Chamorro, so we all really do enjoy our music.

[students singing] -The students are spending two days together, sort of making music together and sort of really fine-tuning and getting to share some beautiful artistry and community together, getting to refine and make sort of art in a way that's maybe a higher level than they're used to making in their home schools.

(Gavin) And we get to learn how he is, who he is, and also learn great music at the same time.

♪♪ (Adrian) It's really an eye-opener because, like, you expect them to be strict or scary, but they're so fun and, like, easy to, like, talk to.

They make it fun, but you can still learn and, like, get the music done.

And it just sounds beautiful in the end, and it's nice to learn from them.

(Jaxson) I feel like the conductor really helps to think about when singing all sorts of things that help me to grow as a singer.

♪♪ (Aiden) This is one of the largest choirs I've ever been in, so there's a big difference between performing in a small choir versus a big choir, and you get a lot bigger scope when you're in a choir such as this one.

-Just one or two altos are rushing it and are not quite nailing it, but most of you have.

-Through this event, these students end up working on what we like to call durable skills, skills that will enable them to do things outside of the-- outside of just regular schooling: working together, problem solving, just the whole going through the whole process, working through nerves, public speaking, public singing, all the things that once they graduate, they'll have to use these skills outside of the classroom.

(Conley) I think it teaches me skills that I will use forever, you know.

It teaches me how to audition, which is kind of like an interview.

It teaches me how to blend with others, how to work with others, because singing and music isn't as much individual as it is working with a group and collaborating together.

(Molly) And I think just being able to be a sponge and suck in all the information that the conductor gives you, because they're giving you so many valuable lessons that you can implement outside of just the choir.

And so I think just learning to absorb all that information and apply it to both the music and to life.

[singing] -Can I hear it?

-If you want to have a career in music, it will really help you to sing in a choir like this.

-It's so uplifting and supporting, and it just makes you feel like you're a part of something.

And it just makes you really happy.

-By tomorrow night's concert, it's, it's really the levels that we leap to in just two days' time are really exciting and exceptional.

♪♪ -I love it!

-Bravo!

So talented.

Now, the district also offers Honors Orchestra and Honors Band for middle and high school students.

What an incredible experience.

I'm so proud of each and every one of you.