As the light dims in the auditorium to a near pitch-black, the crowd is absolutely silent as one by one, figures emerge from the doorways. They hold candles as they encircle the room, all in sync as they take a collective breath before they begin to sing.
The opening notes of the 2024 Holiday Gala Show display the intrinsic and passionate people dedicated to the craft of sharing stories through song. Voices of these young adults echo as they touch each member of the audience, their heartbeats in tune with the harmony of the music.
The haunting yet ethereal glow from these voices is what makes Hazen Chamber Choir and the elite selection of Vox Lumini one of the most show-stopping and well-known performing arts teams in Washington.
“I knew. By chance, it happened, something I liked became a passion and a career.”
Mr. Viles has taught Choir at Hazen for the last 21 years and has been immersed in music for the majority of his life. Fresh out of college, his first job was working with Hazen students and building the supportive culture that is known today.
While a lot may have changed throughout those years, Mr. Viles says that it’s the family and kids that made him stay. “I’ve always felt so connected here. It’s the right place to make a great program such as Choir happen. It’s a place that cares a lot about music and the kids’ identity with it and wants it.”
Choir may not be a sit-down class or a typical academic course, but it’s still an experience that is rigorous and rewarding in its own way. The students who belong to the Choir come together even if they may not otherwise know each other. But together, they let their voices be heard, something that is so personal to them, and share it with the world (Viles). In safe spaces such as this, you don’t have to be the best athlete, best student, or best anything – it’s a beautiful community to grow, find yourself, and be successful in a passion that you may not have found anywhere else.
While choir competitions are comparable to a sports season, they are quite different with additional stakes. For music, there is only one chance – a chance that you cannot mess up. For choir, there are two contests for the year, Regionals and State. In Washington, there are 22 regions with about 10 schools within them.
If you place first at Regionals, then you move on to State, where you are pitted against the winners of all the other 21 regions. If you don’t win Regionals, then your “season” is finished, then and there. There are different categories within the competition: Hazen competed as a Mixed Vocal Large Ensemble back in March of 2025, where they placed First, and then moved on to the State contest in April. During Mr. Viles’s time teaching here, Hazen has gone to State every. Single. Year. While there have been good scores, he describes the last 8 years as “finally, we’ve cracked the ceiling and gotten through,” referring to the three First Place wins and one Third Place win at State.
For the Hazen team, the win is especially special because of their hard work and commitment, putting in the effort all year long. Unlike some other schools, Hazen doesn’t have the additional resources in their music department that provide students with extra help and support to be successful, but this is not necessarily a terrible thing. Rather than supplying private coaches and such, this year’s win was fully up to the students and their dedication.
Regarding funding, the choir department receives a small budget that provides for running a classroom, not outside-of-classroom needs or instruments for the rest of the music department. More funding comes for the Renton School District’s Curriculum Instruction Department, however, the funds go primarily to instruments in band and orchestra rather than choir. Thus, the choir receives support and funding through the annual end-of-year Holiday Gala run by Mr. Viles and Mr. Coy alongside the Hazen Boosters Club.
Over the years, the highest amount of money raised in one night was around $20,000 (split three ways for the music departments) and helps cover attire, entry fees for competitions, travel fees, and additional clothing for those who may not be able to afford it. While there have been barriers from the district, the money goes directly to the school and its students to provide for choir and similar departments. Due to these obstacles, there has been a dip in recent years in bringing in funds, yet it makes way for a new solution to be found to help keep the program running.
The choir department at Hazen is split into three sections: the hand-picked Vox Lumini, the larger Chamber Choir (including the new freshman boys), and the beginner (freshman) girls. The Vox Lumini consists of around 24 individuals who display a stronger passion for music and desire a more advanced and challenging level. While in past years, the Vox Lumini was the all-girls class, it eventually shifted to co-ed as more interest across all students increased.
Troy Paternoster (11) is a bass singer and has been in choir for 3 years, and a part of the Vox Lumini for 2 years. While he did music throughout middle school, he switched from band to choir in high school, and stayed because it was a fun and easy class, one that rewarded him with a new type of high-level activity. “Mr. Viles keeps a tight ship, but is a good teacher, teaching us music but also connecting with students on a teacher-level and as a friend, which helps with the chemistry of our choir, which is why we are so successful.”
Troy is also a part of the Vox Lumini and this year’s group that went to state. The Hazen group won State this year. Troy described the work leading up to that triumphant win truly beginning in his freshman year. Training for competitions to perform in front of judges and learning to take and understand feedback, these skills not only support being a better singer, but also growing as an individual. “I can see a difference in the way I sing and present myself when I sing. Last year, we messed up at state, but I think that only drove us this year to work harder and go at it – and it worked.”
It can be nerve-racking to join anything new, especially a large class that shares something very personal to you – your voice. However, sharing it with the class only strengthens the bonds between each other, and you can find people who are like you and share similarities with them as well. “No matter how weird, how smart, or even stupid, you’ll fit in somewhere, everyone is really friendly, and that just works well for us together.”
The community of the class may be driven by the seniors, as Troy describes, but the culture has been set in place and continues to grow with Mr. Viles. Choir can be fun, but also, at the end of the day, you are putting in hard work and want to see results. This year at State, there was a feeling in the air of placement. With hearts beating, nerves at bay, the 17 individuals sang their hearts out to the “Midwinter Songs” — they performed well, but were also able to be confident in their abilities and trust one another. Choir begins with guidance, but eventually, it becomes something that the students can lead, grow motivation to pursue, see their hard work pay off at state, and be able to share with others what music is about and is worth doing (Paternoster). The new goal going into next year is “back-to-back wins.”
Kendall Rabourn (10) is an alto section leader and singer. This is her second year in Hazen choir, and her first year with the Vox Lumini. While Kendall has been singing since she was a kid, the support system she had with her family helped her reach this level. Finding choir in high school was a very rewarding experience: hard work, but singing to put your music out there and share it with others.
When speaking about State, Kendall described it as less stressful than she initially thought. “Everyone was pretty focused and confident, and we focused on each other, not the other groups, to protect our peace in a way.” As Viles could not conduct during their competition performance, their trust in one another supported this year’s win.
For students a part of the Vox Lumini, it’s grown into a very supportive community, as regardless of the part you play, you are brave. Choir is an amazing place to continue with a drive for music, or a great place to find a passion. Living new experiences, singing in front of new audiences, and building new friendships, it’s a great opportunity to explore what the world has to offer (Rabourn). It supports building life skills of confidence, commitment, and skill.
At Hazen, you can find both commitment and skill – something rare to find in the same place. Here, the combination of effort and hard work provides the results that the students work towards. Going into next year, while running on the high of this year’s victory, there is a bittersweet feeling from the seniors leaving, but also excitement as new students join.
The stunning victory of these hardworking students does not reach the end here, as we expect more to come from the group as years go on. Regardless of who you are, where you come from, or where you’re going, Hazen Choir is a place to be heard and share parts of yourself. The personal connections you make here may last throughout your entire life or support your journey wherever you may go.
“There is a widespread belief that singing is an innate ability, which stops people from having an experience that could be very fun and positive for them. Even if you think you have the smallest inkling that you want to try out your voice, just take the plunge and do it.” – Mr. Viles
