GMSD Choirs Set the Stage for an Exciting Season

Choir students across GMSD are getting ready for a year filled with concerts, honor choir opportunities, collaborations, competitions and performances that will take them from Germantown to New York City.

Across three GMSD schools, Katie Caudle at Riverdale School, TJ Timmerman at Houston Middle School and Kinsey Healy at Houston High School are leading choir programs with plenty to look forward to during the 2026-27 school year.

At Riverdale, Caudle and her singers are preparing for their Fall Preview at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, at Kirby Woods. The concert will give families and community members an early look at what the Raiders have been working on and where their program is headed this year.

Later in October, the Raiders will celebrate the season with their Monster Mash Halloween Concert at 4 p.m. Oct. 24 at Riverdale. Students will also perform as part of I Love America in November before wrapping up the semester with a winter concert in December.

At Houston Middle School, Timmerman and his singers are preparing for their first concert of the year. The HMS Fall Concert begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, in the HMS cafeteria.

But this year, Timmerman is also finding new ways to introduce choir to students who may never have considered signing up for the elective.

During HMS Flex Time, he has launched a Women’s Choir and Men’s Chorus open to all students. While many yearlong choir students participate, nearly 80 students who have never taken choir with Timmerman have also joined in. The growth of the Men’s Chorus has been especially noticeable. What began with just 12 boys has grown to 40 students attending for two consecutive weeks.

The low pressure, high energy setting gives students a chance to experience choir without first committing to a class. It also fits into a larger focus for Timmerman this year: helping students find their place and a sense of belonging through music. His fifth year project will focus on community building, peer mentors across grade levels and events designed simply for students to have fun together, not just perform.

HMS singers are also preparing for opportunities beyond their own stage. Seventh and eighth grade singers can audition for the All West Honor Choir on Oct. 24 at Arlington Middle School. Students selected will rehearse Nov. 12 and 13 before performing Nov. 14 at Bellevue Baptist Church.

Sixth grade singers have an opportunity of their own through the TMEA Treble All State Choir, with interested students already completing recorded auditions for consideration.

Timmerman will also take on a leadership role beyond HMS this year, serving as chair of the Junior High All West Honor Choir.

At Houston High School, Healy and her students will open their concert season Thursday, Oct. 1, with “Where We Take Root.” The 7 p.m. performance at Germantown United Methodist Church will feature American tunes and works by American composers.

HHS singers are also currently awaiting results for All West, where Healy will serve as chair of the Senior High Honor Choir. All State auditions will follow.

October will bring another special moment for Healy when she travels to Nashville for the CMA Music Teachers of Excellence event and awards banquet.

Then comes a busy December for the high school musicians. Houston High’s Concert Choir will collaborate with Germantown High School and Memphis Choral Arts for the annual Germantown Holiday Concert at the Germantown Performing Arts Center on Dec. 12.

Two days later, Houston High Choirs will present “Gaudete!” on Monday, Dec. 14, at Germantown United Methodist Church. The concert will feature guest soprano Mary Wilson.

Fifth Measure, Houston High’s contemporary a cappella ensemble, will also present a holiday concert, with details to be announced. The group recently stepped in front of the camera for a new set of photos by Sprinkle Creative, capturing the personality of the ensemble ahead of another busy performance season.

After the holidays, Fifth Measure will perform at the Briarcrest Invitational in January before traveling to New York City to compete once again at SingStrong.

The spring will bring another major collaboration for HHS when Concert Choir joins the Memphis Youth Wind Ensemble for a Masterworks performance in March.

Across GMSD, choir is about more than what happens onstage. From students trying choir for the first time during Flex Time to experienced singers preparing for honor choirs, competitions and major performances, these programs are giving students a place to connect, grow and find their voice.