Miramonte vocalists hit a high note with Honor Choir invite

   Two Miramonte High School choir students, Emalia Kim (Class of 2027) and Ian Kim (2029), were selected for the prestigious 2025 California Coastal Region Honor Choir.
   Both students were chosen from more than 450 student auditions that drew high school choir participants from across 18 coastal counties, spanning from Crescent City to Paso Robles.
   Ian and Emalia are now eligible to be considered for CCDA All-State Choirs.
   “We’re so proud of Emalia and Ian for their accomplishment of auditioning and getting accepted to the regional honor choir,” said Miramonte music teacher Carl Oser. “Emalia and Ian (not related) are both talented musicians and great contributors to our Chamber Singers ensemble. We’re so excited that they get to make music with other high school musicians around the Bay Area and are excited for what they’ll bring back to our ensemble.”
   Their performance was on Nov. 8 at the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley.
   For Ian, learning of his acceptance brought excitement mixed with relief. “I was really excited because I was kind of nervous that I wouldn’t make it,” he said.
   Ian said the audition process was rigorous.
   “We were brought into a room and there were people who would judge us and have us do different tasks,   scales and songs,” he said.
   He credited Oser for his success at the audition.
   “Mr. Oser helped me prepare for that by teaching me all the scales and helping me with sight-reading, and he taught the whole choir all the stuff,” Ian said.
   For Ian, the highlight of the Miramonte music program is clear, “It’s really fun. It’s like a period where I can relax and express myself.”
   Music, he said, is deeply personal.
   “Music is very pretty – it’s one of my favorite things to listen to,” he said. “Music is always going to be really important to me.”
   Emalia shared similar feelings about being selected.
   “I was pretty shocked at first, since there were so many applicants, but I was excited and grateful to have been accepted,” Emalia said.
   She felt the audition process was manageable – thanks to Oser’s guidance.
   “I was well-prepared for the audition process since my teacher knew a lot about it and what we needed to have to prepare for it,” she said. “He practiced with us in class to ensure that we understood and were familiar with the material.”
   Emalia said she loves the sense of community in the Miramonte Chamber Singers. “Although it is a small ensemble, we are able to do just as much as larger choirs can,” she said.
   Heading into to the Berkeley performance, she added, “I’m looking forward to performing with students from around California and getting to know more students in choir.”
   Music is personal for Emalia as well.
   “I enjoy singing because it helps me foster a community with the people listening, and I really love sharing my passion for music with others.”
   She said Oser has been integral to her growth as a musician stating, “He helps us and ensures that we sound the best that we can, while also having fun as a group.”
   Emalia plans to continue pursuing music in the future.
   “I also play piano, so I’m hoping to continue performing music both chorally and as a pianist,” she said.
   She believes choir and music are essential for students and feels music is a fundamental part of everyone’s life.
   “By participating in it through music classes,” she said, “whether instrumental or choral, you can be the one who takes pride in performing and sharing it with others.”
   Susan Wisk, who assists Miramonte’s Visual & Performing Arts Department with their events and performances, enjoys helping to highlight student achievements like those of Ian’s and Emalia’s.
   “It lifts up the arts in our community,” she said. “And reinforces how valuable these programs are to students and families.”
   The Miramonte Chamber Singers, featuring students Emalia Kim and Ian Kim, will perform in the Winter Concert at 7 p.m. on Dec. 4 in the Miramonte Theater. The event is free and open to the public.