Junior Tori Gitten has been singing for as long as she can remember. As a little girl, Gitten was always singing for fun. It wasn’t until she began experiencing vocal issues that she started taking lessons.

“When I was little, I actually oversang, which means I pushed my voice too hard,” Gitten said. “[My parents] took me to voice lessons to lighten up my voice so that I wouldn’t strain it.”

That’s when in 4th grade, Gitten began classical voice training at the Concord Conservatory of Music, where she is still taking lessons. Currently, she trains every Saturday there.

As part of her classical training, Gitten learned opera singing. She also sings a cappella in the WHS Madrigals and takes part in musical theater. Gitten credits her classical training for helping her perform in different types of performances.

“If you want to preserve your voice and really get a good technique, you want to start with the classical training,” Gitten said. “It’s the same thing with dance. Dancers take ballet as a standard to get technique. Most people these days want to go straight into singing pop or jazz music, but training is really necessary to have good technique and to preserve the voice.”

Gitten’s training has also helped her nerves when it comes to performing. When she was younger, she was required to perform in a recital once a month at the conservatory.

“I’ve gotten to the point where I barely even get scared,” Gitten said. “It’s actually a nice way to de-stress for me, ironically.”

Even though nerves may not be Gitten’s biggest issue, she still believes there are many challenges to performing.

“The voice is something that changes day to day,” Gitten said. “If you don’t get enough sleep, it can sound a little too dry. If you’re sick, there goes your career. Sometimes occasionally, I do get nervous. When I’m nervous, the most common thing that happens to me is forgetting the words.”

For Gitten, performing provides the opportunity to take on new roles and connect with an audience.

“I love performing because I get to escape,” Gitten said. “I have this performing character I put on, and I just live in that moment. Singing and being on stage and people smiling back at you or connecting to you in some way feels so nice.”

While Gitten doesn’t have a favorite performance, one of her most memorable roles was one she performed recently as Belle in the Wayland High School Theater Ensemble’s “Beauty and the Beast.”

“That was really fun. I love all the songs,” Gitten said.

Gitten wants to continue singing after high school. Earlier this year, Gitten had to decide how singing was going to affect her future. She had the choice between pursuing a classical opera singing path or a musical Broadway path. After meeting with her teachers and vocal coach, she chose the latter.

“I can be so much more expressive and really live in the moment, so I chose musical theater,” Gitten said.