On October 9, Pleasant Valley had the honor of hosting the first ever Singers Unite Choral Festival. Entry level high school ensembles from Pleasant Valley, Bettendorf and Davenport North came together as a community to perform musical literature they had been preparing all school year.

The festival had a very similar feel to the annual Quad Cities Metrofest, which consists of performances from higher-level ensembles from local high schools under the direction of guest conductors. The group of students that performed on Monday evening at the Singers Unite Festival were under the direction of highly esteemed Iowan choral director, Allen Chapman. Chapman worked closely with the singers throughout the afternoon and into the evening on their music in order to ensure the musicians were prepared to perform together.

First year Pleasant Valley choral director, David Baxter, said, “Singers Unite was a fun way for young students from different schools to perform collaboratively in a more stress-free environment than is seen at Metrofest.”

The ensemble that represented Pleasant Valley on Monday evening was Pleasant Valley Singers. Freshman member of Pleasant Valley Singers, Emmie Peters, talked about her experience as a singer in the debut of the Singers Unite Choral Festival, “It was a lot of fun having a mini Metrofest because kids from different schools all got to sing together and get to know each other outside of rehearsal.” Peters also stated, “The concert was truly a moment of unity for all of us singers to experience.”

The Singers Unite Festival showcased musical talent from multiple schools in the Quad Cities area and showed how powerful music can be as a unifying force.