Centenary College Choir Begins School Year With Annual Choir Camp

Centenary College Choir members gathered at Camp Bethany before the start of the school year for its annual choir camp, beginning preparations for performances while introducing new members to the traditions and expectations of the choir.

Centenary College Choir seniors pose before their senior banquet at Camp Bethany on Aug. 21, 2026. The annual gathering marks one of the choir's longstanding traditions during camp as members prepare for the upcoming performance season.

The week brought returning and new members together for rehearsals, sectionals and activities designed to build the foundation for the upcoming school year. Members spent hours learning new repertoire while becoming familiar with the way the choir rehearsed and performed. Joshua Alongi, a second-year choir member and Centenary’s conducting major, said choir camp provided the starting point for the music the group would continue developing throughout the year.

“At choir camp, we just learn the stuff, really get all of it down, all the lyrics and rhythms and all that,” Alongi said. “And then after that, we can just start honing in on the more technical stuff.”

The long rehearsal days also showed new members the amount of work required to prepare for performances. First-year member Kristian Cagnina said the camp provided an introduction to college-level choir while giving new members time to become comfortable with the group. The week also included smaller sectionals where members worked with others in their vocal sections. These rehearsals allowed students to focus on their individual parts while getting to know the people they would work with throughout the school year.

“I think it is such a welcoming experience that allows you to get to know people that you know you are going to spend a lot of time with,” Cagnina said. “It introduces you to a new family.”

Music was not the only focus of the week. Choir camp also introduced new members to traditions that have remained part of the Centenary College Choir. Katie Allen, choir president, said the traditions connected current members to the history of the organization and helped establish the values of the group.

“The choir has traditions we do every year that are special to us,” Allen said. “We value our history and continue to learn about it and incorporate it into our everyday lives.”

The extended time together also allowed members to build relationships outside of rehearsals. Members ate, rehearsed and spent time together throughout the week, creating opportunities to learn more about each other beyond music. Allen said those experiences helped members form connections that continued after camp.

“During camp, when we spend so much time together we start to bond beyond the music,” Allen said. “We learn more about each other on a personal level and take those memories with us.”

Alongi said getting to know new members and spending additional time with returning members remained one of his favorite parts of camp. The experience also became easier after his first year, when learning new repertoire felt unfamiliar and stressful.

The relationships formed through the choir also extended beyond current students. Alongi said alumni continued to return to events such as Rhapsody because of connections they formed while participating in the choir. The continued involvement of former members showed how relationships formed in the choir could last beyond college.

For Cagnina, the experience also changed her relationship with singing. After previous experiences had made music feel like a chore, she said the environment at Centenary renewed her excitement about performing. The long rehearsals and demanding schedule did not take away from the experience because members were surrounded by people who shared their interest in music.

“You hear just everything coming together and how beautiful it sounds,” Cagnina said. “And then you are like, I am a part of this.”

As the school year began, members left camp with new music and a stronger understanding of the choir’s traditions and community. The work completed at camp provides a foundation for the rehearsals and performances that will follow throughout the year.

Allen encouraged prospective students interested in joining the choir to audition and experience the group for themselves. She said students looking for a community centered around music could find that environment in the Centenary College Choir.

“If they are looking for a family that creates beautiful music together, they are in the right place,” Allen said. “My biggest piece of advice is to audition and see what happens. Maybe you will crush it and be accepted into the choir and meet the people that will change your life forever.”