Ritenour High School Choir Shines on St. Louis Stages with World-Class Vocalists

More St. Louis area community members have been able to enjoy the voices of Ritenour High School’s choir this spring thanks to their performances in the region with professional singers.

On April 4, 38 members of the Ritenour A Capella and Chamber Choirs performed alongside the Grammy Award-winning, internationally-renowned U.K.-based vocal ensemble Voces8 at The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.  

The RHS choir has partnered with Voces8 as part of a residency program with the Voces8 Foundation. Over the past two years, Voces8 Foundation professional singers have provided RHS choir members with classroom clinics, as well as a clinic and performance with Lyyra, another one of the foundation's premier ensembles.  

“This residency has been incredibly inspiring to our singers,” said RHS Choir Director Stephanie Ruggles. “The clinicians and ensembles from the Voces8 Foundation have worked on performance skills and vocal technique with the choirs. These experiences have sparked an increasing interest in choral music for our students.”

Thanks to another partnership with the Bach Society of St. Louis’ Find Your Voice program, RHS senior Je'Riya Thomas earned the opportunity to perform a solo piece on April 5 during the organization’s 2025 Gala at the St. Louis Woman’s Club. The Find Your Voice program provides high-level voice lessons for aspiring high school singers.

Ruggles added that her students are requesting more difficult music, more performance opportunities, and feedback from professionals so they can continue to grow and build as independent and ensemble musicians. 

Earlier this spring, the RHS choir participated at Missouri Baptist University's First Fest for adjudicator feedback, and the Chamber Choir performed in the Women's History Month Concert at Washington University.