Vox Nova, which means the “new voice” in Latin, is the newest Kent School choir ensemble and a fresh endeavor for the Center for Music Studies. This is a special choir dedicated to singers who have no previous experience. It aims to teach basic music reading, performance techniques, and teamwork. 

Since the impact of COVID-19, Mrs. Kovacs, the new Director of the Kent School Center for Music Studies, has had the desire to foster a strong team spirit among new singers. She said that “most of our singers in Vox Nova, not all, have never been in a choir before.” Because Vox Nova is not an auditioned choir, it allows all students to join, and since they meet once a week for ninety minutes, there is plenty of opportunity to improve. 

Currently, there are 20 students in total, and the new Music Teacher, Ms. O’Brien, directs them. Vox Nova has a range of students, from third-formers to sixth-formers, providing a great opportunity and guidance for them to explore their interest in singing. One of the driving forces of the Vox Nova group is to train the newer singers in preparation for the future generations of choir ensembles, Mrs. Kovacs said, “We jokingly call it the JV Choir, and the Chamber Choir is the Varsity.” 

Mrs. Kovacs long-term goal is to prepare students for a lifelong love of singing and improve their singing skills in a choral team. The Center for Music Studies offers Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, and Acapella groups as they consider pursuing their singing journey moving forward. 

In the future, they hope to be ready to perform at the upcoming Fall Family Weekend for their parents and certainly have more opportunities for in-school performances or even compete in the State if possible. Next spring, the choir programs will travel to Six Flags New England for their end-of-year team activity.