At Mayfield Middle School, the choir teacher David Bright has been arranging a special group of kids for the last twenty-five years.  This year’s group of forty-one eighth graders will have fourteen total performances at places like nursing homes and the famous Cedar Point.

Vocal Dimensions is a select group of eighth graders who combine vocal performance with choreography. Members are chosen through tryouts in the spring of their seventh-grade year based on the three qualities of individual character, responsibility, and talent, according to Mr. Bright.

The group is comprised of three sections: altos on the right, sopranos on the left, and male vocalists in the middle.

The group is most often accompanied by Mr. Bright on piano, but one year, inspired by a judge’s comments, he decided to add drums and bass.  “My four children have all been in the band at one point over the years,” Mr. Bright explained.

The name Vocal Dimensions came from Mr. Bright’s student teaching experience in Holland, Michigan, when he worked with a sixteen-member show choir and decided to borrow the name once he had his own teaching position.

Vocal Dimensions performs for the senior citizens in Mayfield, Ohio. The group travels to four senior centers and nursing homes. The visits will include Waterford on December 8, Mayfield Manor Care on March 7, Montefiore Nursing Home on March 9, as well as Little Sisters of the Poor and Schnurmann-Luther on dates to be determined.

The Vocal Dimensions also performs at the amusement park  Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, where they receive ratings from judges.  In recent years, the group has consistently earned the highest Superior rating and positive evaluations. Cedar Point will be the final performance for the 2016-17 Vocal Dimensions.

Another performance will be held  at the Middle School on March 22 in which the sixth and seventh-grade chorale combines with Vocal Dimensions.

Performances have to be top notch, so that means practice, practice, practice! Having daily class to practice may sound like enough, but Mr. Bright implements more practice with Saturday sessions he has titled “Mega Drills.” Each Mega Drill is three hours long and focuses on learning and perfecting choreography.

For performances and competitions, the group will focus on four songs.  The ones that students have prepared thus far are “Lights” by Ellie Goulding and “When I See You Again” by Charlie Puth.

Mr. Bright loves and cares for the students in vocals, stating “They are like a little family!” He is very confident about this year’s Vocal Dimensions group. “The harmonies are strong; diction is good; the choreography will come along in due time!”

The students also respect Mr Bright. Eighth grader and alto Liz Salome Santos said, “I like him a lot! He is nice and very encouraging!”

What has kept Mr. Bright dedicated to the group for twenty-five years?  He said, “I really enjoy working with the students–the energy level, pushing ideas back and forth, seeing kids come up with something even better than the original idea–a very organic process!”