With a new director, Shelby Hanna, there have been lots of changes to choir this year. But are they for the better?

“I like choir this year and I love Ms. Hanna,” junior Rylee Webb said. “I think she’s an amazing director and I can tell she truly has a passion for teaching.”

A passion for teaching is very important, and she definitely has it. Hanna took the idea that choir is an opportunity to help students, and has run with it.

“I didn’t expect our new choir director to be so into teaching the students and connect with the students as well as she has and as fast as she has,” senior Isabel Walker said. “I think we definitely got lucky.”

We definitely have. The choir has had one concert so far this year, and it went very smoothly. Hanna is also music director of the fall musical.

“I think that Ms. Hanna’s directing for the musical is going pretty good,” freshman Tehya Burnham said. “She is teaching us our songs and we know our music pretty well.”

But, the transition has still been hard. Rachel Naughtin, the previous choir director, was loved by all.

“When things switched, I think the worst thing was just not knowing what to expect,” accompanist Cat Dick said. “But I’ve been so happy to be working with Ms. Hanna. I think we’ve really found a groove.”

As you can see, the consensus is that Ms. Hanna is perfect for Baldwin, and has slid right into her new position of choir director. She is loved by her students and colleagues, and is an amazing fit for our choir.

“I am feeling so super proud to be at Baldwin and I could not imagine having better students,” Hanna said. “I have just been feeling very blessed to be their teacher.”