As we prepare to celebrate Red Jacket Optional on Saturday, October 18, 2025 and empower our young people who face an uncertain future, many of the singers who will be onstage have weathered unsure times before: during the lockdown era. Stella Corotis, President of Singers’ Council, is one of those singers.
“I had always loved to sing, but during the pandemic I got really depressed because we were all locked in our houses. I felt isolated and lonely.”
Stella’s mother encouraged her to join Uniting Voices virtually. After a year of Zoom rehearsals, she got to experience her first in-person rehearsal at the Lincoln Park/DePaul Neighborhood Choir.
“Even over Zoom I could feel the community and family that was being built. And then walking into rehearsal and being able to sing together in real life, even six feet apart, was really amazing.”
Now, going into her senior year, Stella has experienced many magical musical moments, including a solo at the Porretta Soul Festival on tour in Italy and performing with Djo at Lollapalooza.
“I will never forget the picturesque moment of walking onstage. The sun was setting, and as far as I could see were crowds of people. I know I might never experience something like that again, so I just soaked it in and was really grateful for it.”
But it wasn’t just the screaming fans that Stella remembers about Lollapalooza.
“Seeing behind-the-scenes of Lollapalooza was truly an amazing experience. I am seriously thinking about going into the music business, and the career immersion that it was able to provide was incredible.”
These awesome experiences, as well as the cultural education she’s received, encouraged Stella to run—and be elected—as President of Singers’ Council, a leadership group for Voice of Chicago, our premier high school ensemble.
Now, as she prepares to apply for college in an unpredictable world, she credits the lessons and skills she’s learned during her time in Uniting Voices as crucial, including her work ethic. She’s also embraced her generation’s role as young leaders who will solve the problems of the modern world through connection.
“The pandemic negatively impacted my social life and my generation’s ability to be social, and Uniting Voices helped build that back up for me. Our conductors treat us as young adults, and never put up a facade about what’s going on. They’re preparing us for the future. And there’s no one else to fix these problems.”
Through your support of RJO, you can provide life-changing opportunities for youth just like Stella, empowering them to transform their world for the better as the outstanding young leaders that they are.
