The Singing Heart
Robert was a leader in the Honors Chambers and Chorus classrooms. His musical talent allowed him to learn a new part of a piece before anybody else. He was always one of the most expressive singers, as he could quickly move beyond learning what notes to sing and transition straight into recreating the feeling that the composer was trying to convey. He was always the center of attention of the class whether he was calling to a friend all the way across the room (he seemed to know everybody) or forcing Mrs. Ingram to yell at him in the middle of a song because he wasn’t singing what was written. Even she couldn’t get mad at him though – his wide-eyed, child-like grin made it impossible for her to do anything but forgive him and restart the song. Robert ensured that chambers never got dull. Singing had to be fun, and he demonstrated just how fun it could be. Robert could spice up any piece with the addition of a hip-hop dance move or ridiculous facial gesture. In short, Robert is what brought Chambers Chorus to life. | Robert was the heart of Supertonics. He elevated the group on so many levels. His incredible musical background and affinity for dancing helped the Supertonics perform. Even when he didn’t have the solo, Robert was still the one to watch. But what he did on the stage is only half the story. Not only was Robert one of the most enthusiastic performers and talented singers, but he was a fantastic friend to every group member. Because of his his spirit and enthusiasm, the Supertonics formed a cohesiveness and brotherhood-like friendship by his senior year culminating in an unforgettable group trip to Kings Dominion. He made each Supertonic excited come to practice, if for no other reason than to hear his infectious laugh and be forced to laugh with him. He didn’t lead by title, but by example. When he talked, everybody listened because they knew there were two possibilities: he was providing an insightful critique to how we could improve the performance of a song, or telling a joke guaranteed to make us laugh and bring the group closer. Robert is one of the biggest reasons that the Supertonics ever became so important and fun to me. |