Jupiter Community High School (JHS) operates a choir program under the direction of Christopher Moore, who has led the choir and orchestra since 2015. The program has many ensembles and participates in local, state and national competitions.
“Mr. Moore has pushed me to be better and take opportunities,” Grayce Zakarian, senior in choir, said.
The choir program consists of three main ensembles. The Warrior Chorus is a mixed-voice ensemble of all experience levels, which performs a variety of different styles including classical, pop and contemporary works. The ensemble earned superior ratings at the 2025 Florida Music Educators Association (FMEA) and State Music Performance Assessment (MPA).
The Spectrum Chamber Choir is an advanced acapella ensemble that requires an audition and focuses on unaccompanied works. The ensemble has received superior ratings at district and state MPA’s.
“The spectrum choir is divided into four main voice parts which are soprano, alto, tenor and bass,” Holly Musil, senior in choir, said.
Soprano, alto, tenor and bass are all different types of vocal ranges that the choir uses to create depth and for their pieces. Soprano and alto are predominantly female driven, while tenor and bass are typically associated with males.
The Men of Jupiter is a male-voice ensemble that performs acapella-style arrangements and larger choral works for men’s voices.
Auditions are held annually at the beginning of the school year. Entry level groups do not require prior experience, while advanced ensembles can expect regular rehearsal attendance and music theory knowledge.
The program was selected for Disney’s Candlelight Processional at Epcot in 2023. It has earned consistent superior ratings at district and state MPA’s and has student representatives in the FMEA Honor Choir.
“It was so cool [Disney’s Candlelight Processional]. You get to go backstage and sing with some professional singers,” Musil said.
JHS produces themed concerts and variety shows, referred to as showcases. The 2022 variety show included pop and Broadway arrangements.
“I would want to do something from the 60s like something from the Beatles,” Wesley Moore, freshmen in choir, said.
The rehearsal preparation starts six to eight weeks before the event, with weekly 90 minute after-school rehearsals increasing to include weekend sessions as the showcase gets closer. These sessions have warm-ups, sectional rehearsals by voice parts and full-ensemble run-throughs.
“We practice so much. We go over pronunciation, crescendos and decrescendos. Repetition is the key for sure,” Leila Torres, senior choir member, said.
Final preparations include a full dress rehearsal typically the day before the event.
The outfits follow the standard black attire that most choirs across the country wear, with the exception of theme-specific outfits for themed concerts.
“The clothing is specific to the ensemble you’re in, but we get this really pretty black glittery dress for the females in the spectrum choir,” Musil says.
Choir gives the opportunity to showcase and fully express people’s emotions and voices, allowing them to fulfill their passions.
“I’ve always been a choir girl, but freshman year I was in the medical academy, so I couldn’t take choir. Now that I’m in my senior year and finished all my credits I joined the choir and have loved it ever since,” Torres said.
