Portage Township Schools students and siblings Rowan and Fiona Barnes have a lot in common. Rowan is a sophomore at Portage High School, and Fiona is an 8th grader at Willowcreek Middle School. Both have loved music and singing since they were young and have been involved in choir for five years.
Now, they share something new: both were chosen for the American Choral Directors Association’s National Honor Choir.
This February, Rowan and Fiona will travel to Cincinnati to perform with the high school and middle school honor choirs at the ACDA’s national conference. This is the first time students from Portage Township Schools have been selected for these honor choirs.
Rowan and Fiona started singing at the same time—Fiona joined her elementary choir in 4th grade, and Rowan joined the middle school choir in 6th grade. While Rowan was excited to sing, Fiona was shy about performing outside her home.
“I would grab my ‘Hello Kitty’ microphone and put on little shows for my family,” Fiona said. “I was very shy about singing anywhere else. I joined choir to get more comfortable with my voice and to lose some of that fear.”
As Rowan worked hard and grew as a singer, he became a mentor to Fiona.
“I’m very proud of my sister for making the choir with me,” Rowan said. “I know she worked really hard.”
Rowan’s high school choir teacher, Mr. Jordan Dollins, calls him a “go-getter” in music.
“Rowan is the kind of singer we want at PHS — smart, responsible, respectful, and humble,” Dollins said.
Willowcreek choir teacher Mrs. Natalie Franks has taught both siblings.
“Rowan and Fiona are fantastic and musically driven,” Franks said. “They love music and have natural talent in choir and instruments. I’m honored to teach them.”
Fiona said Rowan helps her with choir and band when she has questions about rhythms or music.
“He isn’t just my brother, but my best friend,” she said.
Franks said Fiona always looks for ways to improve, even though she is already very talented.
Both Rowan and Fiona have taken part in many music events, like the Indiana State School Music Association’s Solo & Ensemble Contests, Choral Festivals, and All State Choirs.
The National Honor Choir auditions are very competitive. Students must sing two songs and two scales. Only 200 students are picked from hundreds of submissions across the country.
Dollins hopes Rowan and Fiona’s success will inspire other students to work hard and try new things.
“It’s great to see that the Portage choir program helps students like Rowan achieve so much,” Dollins said.