From singing in high school choir to teaching it, choral director Kayla Tassone has always found her passion in music. Throughout the years, chorus teachers have come and gone, leaving their fingerprint on Hagerty’s choir program. This year, the school welcomed Tassone to lead the chorus department and teach beginner piano.
Tassone began her career in Orange County as a middle school teacher, and taught for two years before transferring to Hagerty.
“I did really enjoy [teaching middle school], but I got into teaching because I wanted to eventually teach chorus and choir in high school,” Tassone said. “When I heard that the position was opening up at Hagerty, [I thought] that would be amazing. I was really fortunate to get it.”
Tassone has a background in musical theater in part due to her love for music and performance. She even participated in chorus during her own time in school–starting in middle school and going through college.
“All of my friends end up being those that I make in choir,” Tassone said. “So in college, I found my community and my friends through choir, and I wanted to stay with them.”
Tassone replaced former choral director Christopher Hickey, who had worked at the school since the 2019-20 school year. Hickey left to pursue his doctorate in Georgia.
“Mr. Hickey was an amazing teacher, and his dream was to eventually get his doctorate,” Tassone said. “I also had a lot of experience working with him before this in the choir community. All the choir teachers know each other, so I’m really, really happy for him.”
Students have seen a smooth transition between the two teachers, and are excited to bring Tassone into their community.
“[Tassone] understands that we really loved our former teacher, and she tries to accommodate to that, but she also puts in new things and helps us try new things,” junior Kyria Khalil, who is in Concert chorus, said. “That’s something that people struggle with when we have a new teacher, but she makes it easy for us to try new things, but also keep the old.”
Since moving to Hagerty, Tassone has focused on getting to know her students. Between asking fun questions while taking attendance and creating a positive reflection board with her students, she strives to make sure that all students feel supported.
“Since the moment [Tassone] stepped in here, I just felt like she knew us all four years,” senior Julia Alvarez, who is in her fourth year of chorus, said. “She talked to us like she’s known us for a while. She’s always bringing so much brightness into the room. She always brings so much energy. There’s not a moment where the energy’s gone.”
Tassone plans to keep the content of the chorus classes similar to previous years, to maintain the environment that returning chorus students are used to, and allow for a stable transition between teachers.
As for her curriculum, she has been adapting the concepts she taught in middle school to include more complex music theory and advanced pieces.
“In a high school, we’re working on more complicated stuff, and everyone here is really excited and confident about singing,” Tassone said. “We get to do a lot more together in high school than I got to do with my middle schoolers.”
Tassone also plans to continue the tradition of concerts, with five group performances throughout the year. Furthermore, she plans to do extra activities with her chorus students, including having them audition to perform at Disney Candlelight, a holiday show held at Disney. Students can look forward to the first choir performance in September, and the pop concert in October.
“I’m excited to see the type of music [Tassone] picks for us,” sophomore Sloan Hockman said. “I’m excited to see her musicality and how she uses dynamics and everything in songs, because that’s the fun of it.”
Tassone remains optimistic about the upcoming year, and hopes to continue to encourage success in choir while still keeping a positive environment.
“I’m hoping that we can keep what this choir program has had, which is a history of being so amazing and having all these amazing performances,” Tassone said. “I’m really open to anyone coming in and joining choir. If anyone’s interested, they definitely should!”
