Thursday, March 28, 2024

Top Teacher List Includes CSHS Choir Director

Every year Fort Worth, Texas magazine honors 10 outstanding educators in the area for their passionate commitment not only to their curriculum, but for each student in the classroom. These impressive teachers go above and beyond to provide a positive influence in the lives of their students and their students’ families. Carroll ISD is proud to congratulate Marla Ringel, choir director at Carroll Senior High, as she joins nine other outstanding educators for the 2013 list.

Every educator is required to teach students the provided curriculum, but Carroll is filled with teachers who go the extra mile for their students. Marla Ringel is just one shining example. Marla not only shares her music education every day with Dragons, but she makes it her priority to build meaningful relationships with each student that comes through her doors. Marla says, “It is incredible to see them grow and mature not only in their musical artistry, but also as young adults. This is absolutely the most rewarding part of my job.”

As a fine arts educator, Marla is aware of the positive impact her lessons have on students in Carroll ISD. “There are countless studies that prove correlations between higher level cognitive function and productivity of students involved in fine arts,” Marla notes. She constantly provides students with creative learning that will help them excel in other areas of their academic education.

Students are not the only ones that love the educational experience Marla offers, parents are pleased too. “My daughter only talks about becoming a choir teacher like Ms. Ringel. Teachers are a source of positive inspiration, and they are the reason, next to home environment, that students fail or succeed in later years of their lives,” says Dragon parent Vibha Tyagi.

Marla graduated summa cum laude from Texas Christian University in 2008 with Bachelor of Music Education and in 2010 with her Master of Music Education. She is currently associated with several professional organizations, including Texas Choral Directors Association and Texas Music Educators Association.

For more information, click here or purchase a copy of Fort Worth, Texas magazine.

Judges to Dragon Choir: "Absolutely Stunning!"

Members of the Carroll Senior High School Choir are celebrating a big win this past week. On Wednesday, April 17 three of the four competing Carroll Choir groups received Sweepstakes at the Texas UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Contest for Region 24. The competition was held at Flower Mound High School in Lewisville ISD.

Since January, approximately 180 Carroll Choir students have been rehearsing. The Varsity Chorale performed “Tu Pauperum refugium” by Josquin des Pres, “With a Voice of Singing” by Kenneth Jennings, and “O Nata Lux” by Morten Lauridsen. Immediately following their stage performance, the choirs were directed to another room to perform sight-reading. In this process, students are given a piece of music to study for six minutes, without singing. At the end of the time period, students are required to sign the piece, with all parts, for three judges. Three of Carroll’s ensembles received top scores from the sight-reading room.

Carroll Choir Director Marla Ringel said the students performances prompted the judges to introduce themselves to students during the break, and congratulate them on their performance.

Some of the judge’s remarks included:

“This (performance) was absolutely stunning!”- D. McMahan

“Choir. Wow!!! Great things happending here.  So good to see this group.” -R. Wright

“Superb! Excellent reading.  You are smart, smart girls and you sing very well.  You are going to be part of something special at CHS. Congratulations!”- R. Talley

Ringel said, “This year has been an absolute pleasure.  I look forward to working with these fine young students every day.  The highlight of this contest season came while we were listening to Chorale’s recordings from their stage performance.  It was amazing to see the pride on their faces as they realized what they had accomplished together.”

The next Dragon Choir performance will be Thursday, May 23 for the student’s Spring Choir Concert. The pop show will be at the Carroll Senior High School auditorium from 6- 8:30 p.m. Students will continue their competition schedule May 24-25 at the Texas State Solo and Ensemble in Austin.

For additional information about the program visit www.dragonchoir.net.