The Wheat Ridge High School choir program needs a new piano.
Choir teacher Ryan Plakorus and the parent-led booster program welcome choir program alumni to sing alongside current choir students for a May 10 concert to raise funds for a new piano to replace the current piano, which has been in the choir room since 1974.
“It’s a big-ticket item, so we’ve been just trying to save and garner up money and support for that,” Plakorus said. “It’s something that’s a part of us, a part of the room, something that helps us learn. I think it’s important to save money for students or the school in the long run.”
Plakorus, who teaches advanced mixed choir, advanced treble choir, non-audition tenor bass choir and treble choir, has been teaching at Wheat Ridge High School for eight years.
Former students often visit the choir program, expressing that they miss singing with the choir. He opened up the booster event to alumni to allow them to meet each other.
“Singing brings people together, so I think it’s a nice way to have connection and build connection in our community, with our current students and with past students,” Plakrus said.
Plakorus believes pianos don’t age out, but hopes a new piano can cut down on maintenance costs, he said.
“[the current piano] loses tune and intonation quite easily, especially with temperature changes through the year in the building, especially with people not being here in the summer when they turn off air conditioning,” Plakorus said.
The event, which is open to the public, will be at the Wheat Ridge Center for Music and Arts on Sat. May 10. Call time is 6 p.m. and performance starts at 7 p.m. Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served at the event and concert attire is requested.
