VHS Choral Director Linda Schonbachler

Upon entering Valparaiso High School, depending on the time of day, you may be graced with the beautiful choir voices floating from the choir room. linda-schonbachlerThis group of talented students has been led by director Linda Schonbachler for the past 22 years. Under her direction, the students have travelled abroad, competed in the state competition every year, and won state competition 3 times.

Linda grew up in Central Indiana and received her Music Education degree from the University of Kentucky. She then went on to receive a Master’s from Butler University. She then returned to Central Indiana and taught Kindergarten through 8th grade music in the Kokomo school system, as well as at the high school level. After leading the high school choir to state, Schonbachler received a letter from Bob Miller, then the band director at Valparaiso High School, inviting her to interview at the school for a choral director position. Deciding she would “look into it and see,” Linda interviewed and was immediately offered the position.

The choral department consisted of 3 choirs, with 92 students, when Linda started. Since then, the program has grown to include 5 choirs, with a total of 180 students: Mixed Chorus, Women’s Chorus, Men’s Chorus, Concert Choir, and the show choir, known as Varsity Singers. Her first year there as choral director, Schonbachler led the choir to 2nd place in the state competition.

Not only has Linda improved and helped to grow the choral department at VHS, she has also taught the students more than just how to sing. She has opened up a whole new world of music to the students, exploring different cultures and styles. She has taught the students that, “all styles can be appreciated for one reason or another,” and has helped expand their tastes and knowledge. Every year, Schonbachler chooses choral pieces written in different languages: Latin, German, Spanish, Italian, French, Swahili, Gaelic, and Haitian are just a few examples. Linda has a background in French and German; for the other languages, she teaches herself first by use of a phonetic guide, “a growth situation” for her as well.

linda-schonbachlerAlong with learning other languages, the students also are offered the opportunity to travel abroad. The choir has traveled extensively to Europe: to England for the Rose Fest in Wales and Westminster Abbey, to Austria for the 250th Anniversary of Mozart, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Italy, France, and Germany. While in Germany, the students performed for the Omaha Beach wreath laying for World War II veterans. They also visited Auschwitz, a moving experience in which the “students didn’t want to leave.” Former students still come back to visit her and talk about that trip.

Linda strives to raise the bar high for her choral students. She pushes them to aspire towards greatness by training them in a cappella sight-reading, and ear and interval training. Her goal is to always “see students improving.” Many of her former singers have gone on to become music teachers and choral directors. Others have made it to the bright lights of Broadway.

To see the choir in action for yourself, come to their Dollars for Scholars concert on May 5, at VHS, as they perform their state competition pieces.