Portsmouth West Music Department
Washington-Nile Local Schools
Choirs
Our choral music program at Washington-Nile Local Schools is a leading program in the area, consisting of our Chamber Choir, our General Chorus (middle and high school), a treble chorus (Prima), and a TTBB Chorus (SMOW), as well as a full production of a musical
Middle School Choir
Our middle school is one of our favorite parts of the day! A combined choir, our middle school comprises of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students all working towards a common goal: to use music to make our lives joyful! We sing at performances such as our Veterans' Day Program, Winter Concert, Spring Concert, Musical Ensemble, and Trills and Thrills at King's Island!
Bel Canto
Bel Canto is a group that is ready to take on more advanced music. Based in the middle school, this group tackles harder repertoire selections than the general middle school choir and may perform at additional functions. It is made up of a select number of singers from the middle school general chorus.
General Chorus
Our general chorus at the high school is an introductory course into basic music and choral skills. In this class, students will not only learn to sing with a group, but they will also learn basic music history, theory, and piano skills that can help propel them to the next level in their musical journey.
Chamber Chorus
Our chamber choir is our flagship vocal music program at West. Here is where we bring together all of our hard work, skill, and passion into one unified voice. Our chamber choir frequently performs at festivals, concerts, community venues and generally finish the winter with our annual Tour of Churches around the Scioto County area. This group also competes at the OMEA large-group assessment, and many of it's members also make up several honor choirs in the area, including the Scioto All-County Choir, as well as Morehead State University's Choral Festival.
Prima
Prima is an extracurricular ensemble with a long history at West. It is designed as a choir for treble voices (SSAA), and as such, is primarily made up of select singers from the Soprano/Alto section of the Chamber Choir. They perform at many of the same venues as the Chamber Choir, and can often be seen in the spaces as the Singing Men of West.
Singing Men of West
The Singing Men of West is a longstanding extracurricular ensemble at West, known for its rich tradition and musical excellence. Designed for tenor and bass voices (TTBB), this group is primarily composed of select singers from the Tenor/Bass section of the Chamber Choir. The Singing Men of West frequently perform alongside the Chamber Choir and often share performance spaces with Prima, representing the school with pride at concerts, festivals, and community events.
Mr. Nicholas Wolford
Director of Choirs
Email:
Morehead State University
Bachelor of Music Education (Voice)
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Ohio University
Master of Music Education (Choral Emphasis)
Mr. Nicholas Wolford is the director of vocal music at Portsmouth West Middle/High School. Mr. Blevins holds a Bachelor of Music Education Degree (Voice) from Morehead State University, studying with Dr. Greg Detweiler, Dr. Eric Brown Dr. Roosevelt Escalante, and a Master of Music Education (Choral Emphasis) from Ohio University, studying with Dr. Matthew Talbert, Dr. Peter Haley, and Professor Emily Talley. Mr. Wolford's thesis was accepted and approved in the fall of 2025, and is titled The Educational Effects of Historic Repertoire Selection in Low-Income Schools.
