I will continue the tale of my warped version of Wuthering Heights later tonight, but right now I wish to reflect back on my years in choir and state which pieces were my favorite and best to perform. I have incorporated into my rankings how good it sounded as a HUGE factor and probably much more than how much I actually liked the piece. In addition I have only included pieces done in high school (of note).

10. Salvation is Created- WEHS Chorale, 2008 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJSbw8Ea2Os
Not only was the piece very flowing and beautiful, but the harmony was just terrific. While I did not perform it in the concert setting I have no doubts that this piece came out epically well.

9. Miserere- PHS Varsity Choir, 2009 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApO784Ox14M
Brief, yet stunning. Miserere's powerful text was well reflected in the dynamics of the piece. I compare this favorably with Salvation is Created.

8. Va pensiero- WEHS Chorale with the WEHS Orchestra, 2007 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K68tdN3fYw
This is one of the most moving orchestra/choir pieces I was part of. It would rank so much higher if the Chorale had just been a bit stronger in volume with the Orchestra.

7. Il est bel et bon- PHS Madrigal Choir, 2009 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlGiq4pa7mo&feature=related
We rehearsed the hell out of this piece for like 4-5 months straight and it paid off with the 1st Overall Win for a small choir in the state.

6. He Watching Over Israel- WCSD Combined Choirs, 2007 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5gXZVJn7p8&feature=related
I've always personally liked this piece, and overall, while I hated rehearsing the 2007 Combined Concert, it was one of the best concerts and is one of two concerts that has two or more pieces represented.

5. Halleujah (Beethoven)- WCSD Combined Choirs, 2007 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZFrYHxbDYM
I do hope that East decided to take this one to NYSSMA, because this piece is not only epic, but it was one of the best performed, in my opinion, by a choir I have been.

4. Requiem- PHS Varsity Choir, 2009 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykzAabG2Yc4
This song accompanied Miserere at our March concert and it came at such a sad moment for the choir as the mother of one of the leading tenors (and possibly the strongest tenor I have heard) died. This song was dedicated to her and it made it all the more powerful.

3. The Awakening- PHS Varsity Choir, 2008-2009 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPgspgLNm4E&feature=related
This song blows me away every time I hear it and it has become the theme for the Pewaukee Music Department. Embodying all the reasons why people sing and make music, the utter humanity of this piece makes it a song I HIGHLY recommend that someone suggests to Ms. Reilly for Springfest, because this is just so damn powerful.

2. The Mozart Requiem- WCSD Combined Choirs with the WEHS Orchestra, 2006 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqPz5B-TA1w
This was the first piece I did with Chorale and it remains to this day one of my favorite pieces of all time in classical music (it might also be because the movie Amadeus is my favorite), but regardless I was so very, very, very happy to do several selections from this grand work (not to mention Mozart's final piece).

1. Famine Song- PHS Varsity Choir, 2008 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOhtIttEkpo
This is not my favorite piece to perform and was not a joy of any kind to rehearse, in fact, it was quite like going through a circle of hell. REGARDLESS, I have no doubt in my mind, ANY DOUBT, that the performance of this piece was the best performance by a choir that I have been in EVER. I wish I had a recording of performing this piece in Pewaukee, but I doubt ever will I hear a high school pull off something like what we somehow did with Famine Song. If East wants to win BIG nationally ever in the future, take this one and run with it.