Our choir program is made up of dedicated singers from a broad variety of majors and backgrounds, who take time out of their busy schedules for the love of making music. We're excited to share some of their stories with you! Today we feature Lauryn Wright and Jay Lewallen, singers from Thorn Choir, PSU's auditioned soprano/alto ensemble, as they share their degrees, interests, and experiences in the PSU choral area.
Jay Lewallen
“Choir is a great place to find connection,” says Jay Lewallen (pictured above), a first-year Liberal Studies major. They were drawn to PSU for its diverse student population, as well as the scholarship opportunities that the school offered. Having grown up in a small town, with a comparatively small population of BIPOC students, some of Jay’s best relationships and most valuable lessons came from the YMCA-based youth center they went to after school in middle and high school. Now that they’re at PSU, Jay wants to help provide that sense of community to children in Portland. “It’s one of the keys to the success I’ve had through my life.”
Another element that has helped drive Jay towards future work with the community and bringing people together is the PSU Choir’s newly started “Community Sings," focused on making music with Portland's houseless population, community organizations, and the general public. They remark that music is a valuable tool, as it is something that everyone can understand, and that can tie into many different cultures. “You deserve to be there, and take up the space there -- especially if it’s something you’re passionate about.”
When not singing in Thorn Choir, Jay enjoys performing solo! Self-taught on the guitar and organ, they love musical theater and hope to get involved again in the future. They’re excited for their next opportunity to sing at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, having just sung Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana with the PSU combined choirs, Pacific Youth Choir, and the Oregon Symphony in late February 2023.
Lauryn Wright
Lauryn Wright is passionate about false convictions, and the racial biases surrounding them. She is working towards becoming a lawyer and is currently pursuing a major in Criminal Justice, with a minor in Black Studies. Through her time at PSU, she is looking forward to learning more about the prison system and the field of Black Studies; She’ll likely start off as a public defender, and will be able to put these combined experiences to use throughout her career as she advocates for lighter caseloads and overall prison reform. If you’re interested in learning more about false convictions and the important role played by civil rights defense attorneys, Lauryn recommends the 2019 film “Just Mercy.”
Having sung in choirs since the fourth grade, Lauryn originally joined PSU’s Thorn Choir as a fun escape from the demands of her other classes. However, she remarks on how much she enjoys the energy of the group. “It’s such a welcoming environment – it’s pretty much a community.” She also appreciates the Community Sings that began last term, collaborating with guest choirs from around Portland and leading "group sings" with the audience. Hearing such a diverse range of choral pieces is refreshing for Lauryn, and she likes how the choral works are discussed in rehearsal, so students can think through topics collectively and find valuable meaning in the texts that they are singing.
If you’ve sung in a choir before but are nervous about auditioning for a college ensemble, Lauryn encourages giving it a try. “Auditions seem scary, but the faculty does everything they can to make you feel like you belong.”
You can sing in whichever choir works for you while completing any of Portland State’s 200+ degree programs. Learn more at the link below.