From a young age, senior Charlie Lewy has stood out as a talented singer.
His passion for music — especially choir — has seemingly come naturally and has had an impact on all aspects of his life, Lewy said. Whether performing on stage or collaborating with his peers, Lewy’s dedication to choir reflects his commitment to both personal growth and community.
“Everyone’s very fun and welcoming, and a lot of the friends that I’ve made in choir, I continue to uphold those relationships,” he said. “I think it’s the bonds that you build and the camaraderie.”
Beyond enjoying the social and cultural aspects of choir, Lewy also holds a key leadership role.
As the bass section leader, Lewy must keep everyone organized and on track. His position is a result of his consistent hard work, musical skill, and leadership ability, Lewy said.
For Lewy, choir is not just an extracurricular — it is the reason why he came to La Salle. After being invited to a rehearsal in eighth grade by music and religion teacher Mr. Otto Wild, Lewy knew he had found his place.
“I really liked the atmosphere there,” he said. According to Lewy, it felt like a place he could belong.
As a result of Lewy’s hard work and consistency, he was able to win in the district choir competition this year and place ninth at state. Lewy said that he could not have done it without his parents, Mr. Wild, and his vocal coach.
While the district and state competition are in the same process, they are very different. Lewy describes districts as, “very straightforward,” he said. “You go in, you register, and you sing in front of some adjudicators.” After he won there, he moved on to the state competition, which is evidently not as simple.
“It’s very odd,” he said. “They want you to be anonymous … you’re not allowed to interact with the adjudicators at all.”
Lewy stated that this process is put in place to ensure that there is absolutely no bias from the adjudicators, with the contestants being introduced as a number and without their school. While this can be stressful, Lewy’s extensive preparation and trust in his skills allowed him to handle it.
For months in advance, Lewy was preparing for the solo district competition. However, he also participates in theater, so preparing for the play “Anastasia” took place at the same time as his preparation for the state competition. This was no challenge though, as Lewy managed to balance it and found the transition from district to state relatively easy.
Besides the talent and effort Lewy has put in, he also cites his unique interest in speech pathology as one of the reasons for his success. Speech pathology is the study of the anatomy and physiology of the vocal cords, so getting to know that better has helped him understand himself and how to improve.
One challenge that Lewy has faced over his journey has been comparing himself to others, but he has realized the importance of focusing on yourself in improving and sharing that advice with others.
“Give yourself some grace if you can’t be at the same caliber as someone else,” he said. “Be happy with where you are, right here, right now.”
Lewy’s parents have had an especially significant role in helping him succeed, supporting him the whole way through and allowing him the opportunities to be successful. Outside of his family, Mr. Wild has supported Lewy during his time at La Salle, offering guidance, encouragement, and mentorship that helped shape his growth.
Music is definitely a big part of Lewy’s life, and he plans to continue integrating it. Lewy has decided to attend Clackamas Community College next year as a music major, also taking classes at Portland State University and hopefully joining their chamber choir, possibly transferring to the University of Portland later. After college, he has considered becoming a vocal coach or speech therapist, but isn’t certain yet.
Lewy’s journey at La Salle has demonstrated the impact of music in his life, he said. He has learned a lot from choir, and hopes to continue building his skills as a performer and artist.
