TOStudents from institutes and high schools in the region were present at the Unión Club
It was at the Unión de Melo Club with the participation of delegations from Rivera, Tacuarembó and Cerro Largo. He organized the inspection of institutes and lyceums, inspection of music education and the department’s secondary directors’ room.
Regional meeting of high school choirs brought together young people from Cerro Largo, Rivera and Tacuarembó in Melo
The spirit of music and student integration was strongly felt in Melo, where the Fourth Regional Meeting of Institute and Lyceum Choirs took place. The activity, which brought together delegations from the departments of Cerro Largo, Rivera and Tacuarembó, took place at the Unión Club and brought together hundreds of public secondary education students and teachers.
The event was organized by the Inspection of Institutes and Lyceums, together with the Inspection of Musical Education and the group of secondary school directors of the department, with the support of the Choral Association of Uruguay. This initiative is part of the national cycle of high school choir meetings promoted by the General Directorate of Secondary Education (DGES).
AN INTEGRATIVE AND EDUCATIONAL SPACE
Inspector María José Dos Santos, responsible for Institutes and Lyceums, highlighted the pedagogical and human value of this type of meetings, which promote coexistence, artistic expression and collective work.
“It is an integrating event. This is the fourth regional meeting of choirs in which we participate, corresponding to the northeastern region of the country, which includes the departments of Cerro Largo, Tacuarembó and Rivera. It is an instance that allows us to meet, share experiences and strengthen links between institutions,” Dos Santos explained.
The inspector stressed that these meetings not only allow young people to show their artistic talent, but also promote values such as solidarity, cooperation and respect for cultural diversity. “It is an experience that leaves its mark on both the students and the teachers who accompany them,” he added.
A CHORAL MOVEMENT THAT GROWS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY
For her part, the inspector of Musical Education, Andrea Tejera, highlighted the magnitude of the high school choral project that has been developing for several years, covering different regions of the country. “Approximately 20 choirs from the three departments that make up the northeast region participate. These meetings are held in all regions of the country and this is the sixth event that we carry out in 2024. Today we are closing the stage of the inland meetings, which began in Salto and culminates here, in Melo. Yesterday we were in Flores and then we will continue with the metropolitan area,” Tejera pointed out.
As he explained, this national movement began four years ago and has grown steadily thanks to the joint efforts of teachers, inspectors and students. “It is a great high school choral movement that has already been consolidated as an educational and cultural policy. Each meeting demonstrates the commitment of young people and the educational communities that make these spaces possible,” he stressed.
DIVERSE REPERTORIES AND A COMMON SONG
Each participating choir prepared its own repertoire, which combined works from the popular Uruguayan songbook, regional pieces and universal themes. “The repertoire is open,” -Tejera explained-, each choir chooses its songs, but we all share a common closure: the same song performed collectively by all the choirs of the meeting.
This final piece, performed by hundreds of voices in unison, constitutes one of the most emotional moments of the day. In this edition, the song chosen was a special composition by a music teacher from the Florida department, created especially to be shared in the different choral meetings in the country and arranged for choir by a teacher from Salto.
“Every year we honor a Uruguayan or Uruguayan artist, recognizing their contribution to national culture. In this case, it is a work that symbolizes the spirit of encounter, union and belonging that we want to transmit through music,” the music inspector pointed out.
A COLLECTIVE EFFORT
The development of the meeting required important logistical coordination and the commitment of several educational institutions in the department.
Dos Santos especially highlighted the work of the high school directors’ room and the team of music teachers, who took over the organization and details of the day. “None of this would be possible without the efforts of the institutions, which managed transportation, accommodation and everything necessary so that the choirs could be present. It was a job of months and with a lot of collaboration,” he stressed.
Likewise, he thanked the constant support of the Choral Association of Uruguay, an entity that brings together professional and amateur choirs from all over the country, and that provides technical and artistic support to high school choirs. “We always count on your support and advice, which allows us to maintain a professional and sustained line of work over time,” Indian.
CLOSING WITH CHORAL SPIRIT
The day ended around 5 p.m. with a joint presentation in which all the choirs participated, performing this year’s tribute song. It was a closing full of emotion and symbolism, which reflected the collaborative spirit of the meeting.
“Seeing so many young people from different parts of the country singing together, with joy and commitment, is one of the best rewards that public education can have. It fills us with pride to see them enjoy and learn at the same time,” expressed Dos Santos.
With this activity, the cycle of regional meetings in the interior of the country was completed. In the coming weeks, the choir experience will continue in the metropolitan area, where a large participation from high schools in Montevideo and Canelones is expected.
