Building back up the choir program at Kingfisher Public Schools has been a process for Diann Magnus.

A nine-year process.

That process hit a high note this month when Kingfisher High School’s concert choir earned a “Superior” at the OSSAA state competition in Elk City.

It’s the first time the choir has earned the highest rating in Magnus’ tenure here… and beyond.

“It’s the first ‘Superior’ since I’ve been here,” Magnus said. “And I know Kingfisher choirs haven’t had these successes since about 2003.”

It hasn’t been an easy journey for Magnus or her students.

“When I came to Kingfisher, the choirs were not in good shape,” she said.

“Many students did not take choir seriously.”

So Magnus sought out students who would, but even that wasn’t easy.

“I’ve been learning to recruit, but I’m not very good at it,” she said. “I love to sing, so why doesn’t everyone else?”

The recruiting has meant not only encouraging students to take choir, but also stay in it at the high school level.

And being able to sing “well” isn’t a pre-requisite.

“I focus on those hard workers,” she said. “They do not necessarily have to be good singers.

“I teach them how to sing; they just need to be willing to try.”

Kingfisher hasn’t been without some success.

When the choir competed at the district competition last month, it earned an “Excellent” in sight reading and a “Superior” in performance for its renditions of “I’d Enter Your Garden” by Johannesburg Brahms and “Come to Me Oh My Love” by Allan Robert Petker.

That advanced the KHS choir to the state competition for a sixth straight year.

In the previous five years, “Excellent” was the top rating Kingfisher could earn at state.

Magnus would review the judges’ comments and work on those suggestions in class.

She also invited clinicians to work with her students.

It paid off on the first of April, but almost didn’t happen.

Choirs must have 13 people on stage to qualify.

COVID-19 nearly took its toll on Kingfisher.

“We barely made it,” Magnus said. “Kids have been in and out due to having the virus or because of contact tracing.”

Performing were Breona McConnell, Serenity Starr, Katie Beecher, Wayde Barrios, Elijah Johnson, Rylee Trent, Jayden Shaver, Olivia Reyes, Raechel Evans, Charlie Johnson, Macy Harrison, Zaylynn Lopez and Shelbey Osterholt.

The lack of large numbers this year had Magnus ready to settle for a lesser rating at state.

“I was going to be happy with the fact that we made it to the state contest, but the kids went far and above,” she said.

“We are down in attendance, but the kids who are in class are solid musicians.”