Hierarchy: a system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority. When people hear this word their first thought might be one of kings and peasants, or corporate leaders and workers. But not many people think of choir.

At Manhattan High, there is a hierarchy throughout the choir groups, with Chamber Choir at the very top, and the mixed choir being the least strict of the groups. No matter what group you are placed in, you have to make your way through the rigorous audition process.

“Everybody has to learn the same 12 or 16 bars of a song, and then come in and sing that for me,” choir instructor Chad Pape said. “Then we have a music reading auditions that requires them to just read notes and rhythms and see how they do. We stack all those factors together along with how they keep up in rehearsal, and then it shakes out into all of our auditions ensembles.”

While the process is a difficult one, it is definitely worth it for the members of such select choirs. Every spring, hundreds of hopeful students audition, and only an exclusive few make it through.

“All of these people are so talented, it’s humbling to be able to be in all of their presence,” sophomore and new member of Chamber choir Emma Lansdowne said.

Lansdowne started her choir career at MHS in the basic freshman women’s choir last year, and was lucky to move up to such an elite choir so quickly.

“When I was in the younger one last year, I felt like I wasn’t challenging myself and that I was leading the group too much,” Lansdowne said. “This year I feel like I am a part of the section more than I was last year.”

Being in a choice choir is a challenge, no matter if you have been singing for three years or 11. While the pressure is lowered for members who have been around longer, hard work is expected of every member.

“I feel like it’s everyone’s job to do well and to show that you deserve to be there, but also have a lot of fun,” senior James Bunting said.

Bunting is a member of Chamber choir and Varsity choir, another top of the line group at MHS.

“Between Varsity and Chamber, there really isn’t much difference. In Chamber we sing more classical, older songs and in varsity we mix it up, we sing pop and classical,” Bunting said. “It really doesn’t matter what persona you change you’re just there to participate and you do your best and you try to work with the music. You work the music — the music doesn’t work you.”