Students within the KO community are constantly provided with opportunities to succeed in areas of interest, and sophomore Sarah Balog has taken advantage of many opportunities over the years to pursue her own passion: singing.
Ever since she was about 5 years old, Sarah has loved singing. At 9, she began taking voice lessons and has performed in community theatre productions for as long as she can remember. One of her favorite community theater productions that she participated in was “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” where she played the role of Lucy, which she remembers as a really fun and enjoyable experience.
First attending KO in the sixth grade, Sarah was so excited to finally have opportunities to participate in different choir groups. For both seventh and eighth grade, Sarah was an “Octopiper” which is the Middle School cappella group. Making her way into the Upper School, Sarah looked forward to the new musical opportunities that would present themselves. In terms of Upper School choir, Sarah has been a member of the Concert Choir and Voce, the select female ensemble. Starting this year, Sarah was also chosen to be part of the Upper School girls cappella group, Oxfordians.
In addition to music and art classes during the day, Sarah also has a passion for theatre. “The first thing I did in the arts for high school was the fall play, ‘The Grown Ups’, and I played Becca,” Sarah shared. “Prior to freshman year, I had been playing soccer in the fall for years, but I decided that I wanted to try something new and absolutely loved the experience.”
Her freshman year, Sarah also auditioned for the winter musical. “Unfortunately, I did not get in that year, but I came back this year and got a role,” Sarah said, excitedly. “I mean, that’s what the arts are really about, though, you know, persevering and continuing to try!”
This past fall, Sarah was cast as Olive Ostrovsky in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” which was her first singing role. “Not only was it a fun show, but also such a fun experience because I was able to participate in something with so many of my friends, which hasn’t happened a lot before as our sports and extracurriculars wouldn’t line up,” Sarah mentioned. These past two years, Sarah has been chosen as a member of the CT regional and All State choir, which is a huge accomplishment!
In terms of exploring her artistic interests, the KO community, specifically former Choral Director Steve Mitchell has been a huge help in her journey. “Mr. Mitchell has helped to open up so many opportunities for me that I never even knew were options,” Sarah shared. From encouraging her to audition for solos in the Middle School to coaching her through regional auditions in the Upper School, Mr. Mitchell has been a great support system and inspiration for Sarah in her musical journey.
In addition to singing, Sarah dabbles in the guitar and is the girls varsity lacrosse goalie during the spring season. Although she doesn’t play the guitar regularly, Sarah likes knowing that she can pick it back up whenever she wants and hopes one day to get back into playing.
We wish Sarah the best of luck as she continues with her passion of singing at both KO and in regional choirs!
