Gone are the days of the flimsy stool being thrown at the wall in the small Hellstern choir room. The days of drop kicking the baby doll for breathing between phrases are a distant memory.

Now the greased handlebar mustache commands the room of E103 continuing to pursue excellence through music education.

Clint Pianalto is returning to Har-Ber as the head choir director, where he previously worked as the assistant director under Randy Erwin. Prior to his return he was the choir director at Hellstern Middle School.

“It really feels like coming home,” new director Clint Pianalto said.

Due to the timing of Pianalto’s move to Har-Ber, seniors who attended Hellstern Middle School will be under his instruction for both their first and last year of choir.

“Mr. Pianalto was the guy that told me that I was something special, and he really got me invested into choir…it really changed my life,” senior Allyson Patrick said.

Patrick has been in choir for six years, and currently sings in both Camerata and Lighthouse.

Many students are excited to see Pianalto become the new head of the Har-Ber choral music program.

“I welcome it, just because I like change period, and I like what he is doing. I think it will be good for a last go around,” senior Drake Ford said.

Ford’s choral resumé is similar to that of Allyson, having also been in choir for six years, and being a member of Camerata and Lighthouse.

For Pianalto the new position brings many new experiences and a change of pace from that of a seventh grade program.

“I am excited about all the music we get to do!  We are working on as many pieces this fall as we work on for the entire year in a 7th grade program,” Pianalto said.

Pianalto plans to reach new goals with the program while implementing his own personal touch of personality.

“I want to create better humans and the choir thing will take care of itself.  I want to create lifelong lovers and advocates of music,” Pianalto said. “I know that years from now students will not remember what I taught them or the songs we sang, but they will remember how I made them feel.”