On February 21st, Emerson Choir will perform a new choral piece at The Magical Festival, not from a textbook or a well-known composer but by one of its own members. While most choir students focus on singing and learning the choral pieces, one student took it up a notch and decided to compose one himself. Cairo Lewis, 11, used his passion for music and creativity to compose an original choral piece for his own ensemble. 

In the fall, Lewis was just playfully experimenting with his instruments until it eventually began to all come together, starting his journey of developing a full choral piece. The idea originally began at the piano and slowly expanded into different instruments and multiple vocal parts over the course of several months. He faced slight difficulty, dealing with obstacles such as overall logic and coming up with different parts, but in the end it was all worth it.

“I was just messing around with the piano until I found a rhythm that I liked. That’s when I decided to make a song out of it,” Lewis said.

Lewis became interested in music during his freshman year after taking music theory and choir, where he learned more about how music works and what it can express. His love for music grew, causing him to spend three years in choir, where he is currently the Section Lead and Choir Officer. As his skills developed, so did his interest in exploring music beyond singing. That growing curiosity eventually led him to experiment with creating his own music, which later developed into his original choral composition.

“I was introduced to choir by Mr. Orr, the last choir director. I decided to join just to try it out, the harmonies and getting better is what made me fall in love with it,” Lewis said.

After months of composing, Lewis’s choral piece is set to be performed by the choir next month. The piece challenges both the performers and the audience to feel its meaning and reflect on the emotions it conveys, from happiness to reflection. Hearing his work performed by his classmates represents the most rewarding part of the process. The upcoming performance will highlight not only Lewis’s creativity but also the energy and collaboration of the entire ensemble.

“I hope the people in my choir that are singing it remember it not only for the performance but the energy it has throughout it,” Lewis said. “I also hope the judges and the other music educators remember me and my song.”