Photo Credit to Margarita Hu

Nikki Chang poses right before her first Allstate performance in Ames

Nikki Chang is a senior and an extremely active member of the Pleasant Valley Choir program.

Chang started singing in junior high under the direction of Peter Grau. At the time, Chang enjoyed singing, but she saw it more as a class than a passion. Regardless, she decided to continue her singing career by auditioning for the high school choirs. For her freshman year, she was placed into Pleasant Valley Singers.

Although all of Pleasant Valley’s curricular ensembles are all extremely talented, Chang was discouraged when she was not placed in Concert Choir with most of her friends. Nonetheless, she used her time in Pleasant Valley Singers to develop her voice and musicality.

With all her hard work, she was able to completely surpass Concert Choir and was placed in Women’s Ensemble for her sophomore and junior years.It was in Women’s Ensemble that Chang was really able to find her voice.

Chang also sang in Jazz Nouveau her sophomore year and Belle Tones her junior year, two of the program’s extracurricular jazz choirs. During these two years, Chang was not only able to gain confidence, but she was also able to grow exponentially as a musician.

While this process was not easy for her, Chang was able to prompt this growth. “I was definitely more confident, and I realized that I needed to provoke growth in myself. Instead of singing the same way that I always had been, I started trying to actively make myself better and improve my voice.”

Through this practice and hard work, Chang was able to achieve her ultimate goal of being accepted into Chamber Choir, the school’s top curricular ensemble. Chang did not stop here.

She proceeded to go through the process of trying out for the All State Chorus. She attended the All State camp at Wartburg College and worked diligently on the music. Not only did Chang make it past the primary auditions at the high school, but she reached a peak by being accepted in the the All State Chorus.

Chang’s development has been evident to all who have been on this journey with her. Madison Wells, her fellow ensemble member and All State Chorus singer found Chang’s growth to be awe-inspiring. “She has gained so much confidence over the last couple of years. She’s focused on growing as a musician, and she has flourished as a singer and ensemble member,” she said.

Chang is endlessly grateful for her directors Meg Byrne, Catherine Lyon, and David Baxter because they have all been pivotal members of her development. “They have helped me find my voice, and they are the ones who have encouraged and supported me throughout these past four years. They have been pushing me and helping me improve, so I will miss them for sure.”

Although she will graduate in May, she still has some time left in the program. In this time, she will continue to be an active member of Chamber Choir and Jazz Etc. and savor the time she has left. After all, this is where she feels at home. “The program has given me a safe place because it is somewhere I feel that I can be myself. For that, I am extremely grateful.”