I went to a choir concert at the high school a few days ago. High school choir concerts are usually good and occasionally excellent. I actually feel very qualified to say this. I have been attended school choir concerts since 1984 when our oldest daughter was in kindergarten. That is 25 years of concerts.
I have attended a lot of bad concerts. I am not a great musician, but I do have a little history with music. I have been playing the piano for 45 years. I am married to an amazing baritone--really--I am not bragging, ask anyone who knows him and has heard him sing. He sang to all the babies, and they all learned to sing almost before they could talk, and now he is singing to the grandbabies. All of the 7 sing, we like to sing, we can entertain or annoy by singing. One of the family rules is NO SINGING AT THE TABLE. So, I know a little about music. I know when the kids can't keep the beat or the pitch, and it is painful.
But I have been to awesome children's choir concerts. I think the director is very key to how the singers sing. Merilee McKee of San Antonio and Tridell did a job worth driving 40 miles roundtrip in the winter to take the kids to choir practice.
But, I know exactly when I knew for sure that 298 (or thereabouts) choir concerts were worth it. The eldest child was a music major. Her senior year of college she was in the University of Utah Singers. I sat at the Christmas concert that year and I knew, without a doubt, I had arrived. The music was sublime, outstanding, heavenly, heart-wrenching, joyous, powerful, on pitch and on the beat. Twenty-five years of choir concerts were worth it for that hour and a half. Child number 5 is now singing in the Timpview a capella choir. They are great. I love choir concerts. And the oldest, well, she is a high school choir director. I love it.