Every Monday and Thursday night in the music room, the piano strikes and music fills the air. Everyone stands in position and starts vocal warm-ups. Nine boys and 10 girls prepare to sing, what they love to do. This is a day in the life of two of South’s vocal groups: Nine and Solace.

To get involved in the Music Department at South, singers start in freshman choir and work their way to a bigger commitment. Some of these groups include Chamber Singers, Scat That!, Nine and Solace.

Senior Jonathan Kim joined Nine for the first time this year and said it is one of the best commitments he has ever made. According to Kim, all singers in Nine and Solace have always aspired to be part of these groups.

“Making it was definitely, not to sound cheesy, but a dream come true,” Kim said.  “It was a lot of hard work paid off so it felt really good.”

The singers commit themselves to these groups and rehearse at least two hours a week.  According to Kim and junior Kris Hansen, the groups are a lot like sports teams.

“Surprisingly it does not seem that much [of a commitment],” Hansen said.  “It’s really easy for us to go in to rehearsal [every] Thursday and do what we need to do and sing together.”

While individually having acts in V-Show and in their own concerts, Nine and Solace perform together in many events at South.  According to senior Stephanie Riley, the brother-sister relationship between the two groups benefits the music program and makes it stronger.

“We are in all the choir concerts together and a lot of the time we sing the National Anthem at sports games,” Riley said.  “We are really involved with each other and we all know each other well so it’s really fun.”

Their first debut together this year as an a capella group was at the 9/11 10th Anniversary Commemorative Service at Gallery Park.  Ever since then, according to Hansen, they grew closer.

“[The service] definitely kicked off the year for us because it was a whole new group of people,” Hansen explained.  “The two different groups were just the way to get to know each other’s voices and get to know each other a little better.”

When the year gets going and the groups have bigger commitments such as V-Show, rehearsals pick up and they get together more often, especially during school.

According to junior Mary Kate McPhilliamy, it can be a lot of work, but it pays off.

“It’s my first year and I’m getting a lot more opportunities than I thought I would, so it’s nice, and we are all getting along pretty well this year,” she said.

McPhilliamy and senior Becky Friedman believe Solace is like a varsity sport because of the time and passion they put into it.

“It’s varsity choir,” Friedman said. “If you make Solace you’re automatically in Master Singers which is every seventh period. […] We sing at school functions and we have a concert.”

The singers eagerly explained their upcoming project dedicated to South’s 50th anniversary.

“We are doing a combined CD with Nine this year so that [will be] really exciting,” Riley said.

In addition to being so close in the Music Department, according to Kim, the singers are also all good friends outside of the music room.

“Solace [and Nine] have had a history of being really close-knit,” Kim said.  “I can definitely say that the eight [other] guys in Nine are eight of my closest friends and the Solace girls are some of my best friends as well.”

The Music Department has many different opportunities and groups to join, but according to Riley, Solace has definitely been one of her favorite high school experiences.

“I really love it,” Riley said. “It’s a really great opportunity to get to be with people who love singing just as much as you do. It’s just a really amazing experience and it really helped me grow a lot as a musician.”