Although famous artists like Beyoncé, Snoop Dog, or Aretha Franklin are known for their hit songs and performances, they don’t actually compose their music.  Jim Papoulis is the artist behind the scenes who composes songs and performances for a wide range of genres, including these famous musical artists.  This year, the FHC choir was able to work with Papoulis and composed their very own original song, marking a monumental point in Central’s choir program.

Choir students from several classes had the honor of working with Papoulis, writing lyrics, and changing the piece however they wanted.  Through many days of hard work, these choir students were able to create their very own piece, “Free Myself,” which they will perform at their choir concert on May 17. Mrs. Elisabeth Baird, the choir conductor, can barely contain her excitement and wonder as she describes the rewarding experience her student got to have.

“I couldn’t believe Jim was going to come in and write a piece with us, but I knew it would be so beneficial to the kids because his mind is so unique and works in such a different way.  With the kids, I think there’s this mentality that composers are so far beyond what anybody could do,” Baird said. “Jim gave the kids an opportunity to see that composing is an attainable goal, and I could really see that understanding and wonder in the student’s eyes as they sat down and worked with him.”

The choir students, such as Matt Tierney, were shocked about the process Papoulis takes to write music.  By inviting a composer into class, it gives choir students the opportunity to see potential futures they can have in the music industry.  Matt Tierney, a junior deeply involved in the choir program, has built up an interest in songwriting and composing with classical styles. When he saw the way Papoulis writes and composes, he realized the more contemporary approach he can have on songwriting.

“Seeing him compose gave me a better way of writing larger pieces that are more than 16 to 24 measures,” Tierney said. “The way he worked gave me a [better] idea [of] how music comes together and [how]  writing a piece for the choir is better than pre-written music because we understand why it was written and the emotions behind the pieces.”

One of the biggest benefits of writing an original piece is the idea that you get to come up with your own lyrics that hold emotions and sentiment.  To write a piece that others will hear is daunting for those who are new to the world of composition. Senior, Audrey Beahan, discusses the unique experience of song writing and the vulnerabilities that come with it.

“It’s a really interesting experience for a lot of us because we’ve never written a song like that,” Beahan said. “I think it really connected us as people because that’s a very vulnerable activity especially when you’re putting your emotions into a piece that others will judge and listen to. Writing this piece brought us closer as people and it was such a cool experience.”