Reading High School Choir sings at Tigers game

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Reading High School Choir outside Comerica Park, where they sang the national anthem on Wedneday.  (Courtesy of Josh Scholler)
Reading High School Choir outside Comerica Park, where they sang the national anthem on Wedneday. (Courtesy of Josh Scholler)

Just before the first pitch of the Detroit Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins baseball game yesterday at 1:08 p.m., the Reading High School choir stepped out onto the field of Comerica Park to sing the National Anthem.
The cool weather and two-hour trek from Reading, Michigan, to Detroit did not deter the 25 students, led by choir director Joshua Sholler, from singing the three-part National Anthem.
“The kids had an absolute blast,” Sholler said. “We were all a little nervous going into it but when the moment came to sing the anthem the kids knocked it out of the park.”
The journey started back in January. Sholler received an application in the mail for his choir to sing at a Tigers game. The chances were slim, as the team only offers opportunities to sing in April, May, and September, and then only at certain games. When told he would hear back by February, Sholler began to lose hope as the month passed. Finally, in the last week of February, Sholler heard that his choir was chosen.
“Somehow, someway, we were selected,” he said.
Sholler, who has directed choir and band at the school for three years, said he purchased the music right away. The choir has practiced the song for over a month.
The school was also able to get tickets at a discounted rate of $9. They decided to purchase 300 tickets to try to sell at the school. The tickets sold in half a week, and more tickets were bought and sold as well. At the school, 465 tickets were sold, and many purchased their own admission separately as well.
Reading High School cancelled school for the event, which Sholler found extraordinary.
“It is unheard of for a school district to cancel school for music, to support art. That’s something that speaks really highly of Reading community schools,” he said. “Pretty much the whole town of Reading shut down.”
Kris Healy is mother of two sons in the choir — a sophomore and a senior. She and her husband were among the supporters filling section 217 at the park. She said the choir was outstanding despite being a fairly new group of young musicians.
“We thought it was wonderful that the kids living in a small community had the opportunity to be involved in something at that scale,” Healy said. “And more than that, what made it even more exciting was how much the Reading community at large gathered around the kids and turned it into an extraordinary experience.”
Healy also said it was emotional to see the kids have an opportunity bigger than themselves, surrounded by a family-like community.
Chuck North, superintendent of the school district, said the event is no different than a state championship game, and therefore, it was fitting that school be cancelled.
He said the most important aspect of the trip was the educational experience which can help children become well-rounded people.
“This is just a perfect example,” North said. “These kids will remember this and learn more from this than they ever will sitting in a classroom. It’s an experience that we strive to provide our students.”