Soprano, alto, tenor, bass speak in unison
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Members of the White Plains High School Choir, under the direction of Penelope Cruz, not pictured, rehearse a selection from Handel’s “Messiah” that they just began to learn. From left, soprano Emily Brotmann, left, tenor David Axelrod, alto Sebastianne Kent and bass Justin Fisher.  Photo by Matthew Brown/The Journal News.

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In Monday’s paper, I’ll have the latest installment of the Prep Arts coverage we’ve been rolling out.
I stopped by White Plains High School after school one day to talk to choir director Penelope Cruz and four members of the 40-member choir: Emily Brotmann, soprano; Sebastianne Kent, alto; David Axelrod, tenor; and Justin Fischer, bass.

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White Plains High School choir teacher Penelope Cruz, foreground, chats with four members of her 40-member choir. Photo by Matthew Brown/The Journal News.

The kids talked about how choir builds confidence, focus, friendships and stamina. They waxed rhapsodic about upperclassmen who set the bar high for them when they were new younger.
Brotmann, Kent and Fischer are seniors and they’ve had Cruz all four years of school, a relationship their teacher says makes the choir strong and builds a tradition.

Axelrod, a junior, is in his second year in the choir, but is already a leader in the tenor section.

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Members of the full White Plains High School choir rehearse. Photo by Mark Vergari/The Journal News.

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Give a listen to these four members of the White Plains High School choir, who indulged us and sang a bit of Handel’s “Messiah,” a piece they had only been rehearsing for a week.
Enjoy.