Viral TikTok video boosts choir enrollment at Maryland high school

A high school choir director in Prince George’s County has used a viral social media clip to draw new students to his program and build a culture of collaboration.

Kevin Lewis, the choral director and piano instructor at Laurel High School, recorded a video last school year while preparing for National Board Certification. The clip shows his honors choir singing Kelani’s “Folded” using solfège syllables. Lewis arranged the pop tune to match the pitch structure of the classic “Do-Re-Mi” to make it accessible for students who had little prior choral experience.

The video was posted to TikTok and gained several hundred thousand views by the next lunch period. The original artist, Kelani, reposted the clip. The online attention has translated into tangible growth for the program, with Lewis reporting an increase in student enrollment for the current year.

Lewis emphasizes that the classroom dynamic relies on mutual understanding and time. He compares the group’s development to a sports team, noting that the more time the ensemble spends together, the easier it becomes to work in harmony. “Chemistry goes a long way in the classroom, much like a sports team,” he said. “The more time we spend together, the easier it is to work together.”

The program starts each academic year with a choir camp where new members learn vocal warm-ups and observe existing practices. Lewis aims to reduce anxiety by having students sing regularly. “The more they sing, the more they sing with each other, the more comfortable they become,” he explained. He tracks this progress during school assemblies, noting a steady rise in confidence across multiple performances in a single day.

Students describe the environment as supportive and energetic. Dahlia Sucre, a senior and choir assistant, characterized Lewis as “really outgoing” and “the best.” She said the group lifts each other on difficult days. “Choir can be very stressful at times, and some days are not always our days. But we tend to like very uplift each other,” she said.

Lewis stated that while few students will become professional musicians, the program teaches transferable skills. He prioritizes communication and team-building as fundamental principles for future careers. “I want them to know what it’s like to work as a team,” he said. “That team-building concept is very big. Of course, when we go into our jobs, you’ve got to work with other people.”

Lewis also advocated for continued funding for the arts in Maryland schools despite current budget pressures. He argued that arts education supports academic performance and personal development beyond the music room. “The arts don’t just serve students while they do music,” he said. “It helps them to be better people in their academic core subjects and just better people in life.”