Name: Tamia Temple
Grade: 12
Fine art: choir
Years of experience: 12
Wingspan: When and why did you join choir?
Temple: “I joined choir because I always sung at home, and my parents suggested that I join church choir (which I did). From there, I never looked back!”
Wingspan: Have you been singing for a long time? What do you typically sing?
Temple: “I have been singing for a very long time! I typically sing R&B music, as well as gospel music.”
Wingspan: Can you talk about your experience being in church choir? How does it compare to being at choir at school?
Temple: “I went to a large church, but there weren’t that many people in the choir, so I had room to really learn and grow. As I got older and my skills matured, I got a lot of solos. I also started to notice that the audience would respond well to certain inflections and dynamics, encouraging me and praising. This pushed me to keep going, especially after the pandemic hit and I was debating not rejoining choir. I’ve carried this passion to make people feel something into school choir, where I’m refining my technical skills with a wonderful group that I enjoy singing with.”
Wingspan: What’s your favorite part about being in choir?
Temple: “My favorite part about being in choir is bonding with students I otherwise might not know, as we grow our skills and have fun together.”
Wingspan: What’s the most challenging part of being in choir?
Temple: “The most challenging part is hitting high notes; I am a low soprano.”
Wingspan: Can you talk about a favorite piece that you sang as a part of choir?
Temple: “My favorite piece is one that I’m learning in choir right now, actually. It’s called Stardust, and it’s about police brutality. My cousin, who was parked on the side of a highway with no gas, was killed by a cop in 2016. So this song really connects to me, really allowing me to enjoy the song while singing it, which can be hard because when you’re practice you’re always thinking about what comes next and how to sound perfect.”
Wingspan: What do you think are some differences of singing in a choir versus singing on your own?
Temple: “Singing in a choir allows me to harmonize with different voices, as well as learn from others both older and younger than me. When I sing on my own, though, I can sing whatever I’m feeling, play with inflections, add riffs, whatever I want to. So both are great for different times.”
Wingspan: Do you have a favorite singer or someone who inspires you?
Temple: “A singer who inspires me is Sade, because her voice is so dynamic and smooth, while being comforting and familiar.”
Wingspan: Would you encourage others to join choir? Why or why not?
Temple: “I would encourage others to join choir because it’s a change from the pressure of academics, and while it’s not a walk in the park, you’re consistently working to improve for concert/competition, and when you see that improvement, it really is a great feeling. Also, concerts and UIL are so fun, because you get to perform with the choir you practice all the time with and have gotten to know!”
