When it comes to male singers, names like Neil Diamond and Jason Mraz often come up.

However, it would no doubt surprise their many fans that they were both involved in choir while they were in high school.

With 14 boys in the OHS honor choir, seniors Milan Howard and Karson Cook are definitely in the minority, however, that hasn’t stopped them from doing what they love: singing.

Both boys began their musical careers early. Howard started singing in seventh grade, and Cook grew up in a musical family.

“My mom has always been big on choir, and singing all the time,”said Cook. “But it wasn’t until my sophomore year that I realized it was something I really liked to do.”

Cook took part in musicals through the OHS Drama Department his sophomore and junior years, but it wasn’t until this year that he joined choir, and quickly built bonds with the other members.

“It’s an experience that you don’t really get to have that much,” Cook said. “It just makes you feel like you have a family at school.”

Similar to Cook, Howard believes that choir kids are one big family. However, his favorite part of choir has to do with the music itself.

“It’s just the blend of the music in general,” Howard said. “Listening to all the harmonies in music, and hearing it all come together is the best part.”

Under Cindy Durazo, OHS choir director, both boys have been a part of winning musical performances for four years, and recently won first place at the Worldstrides Heritage Music Festival.

Howard and Cook both plan to continue their musical careers after high school, with Cook planning to audition for the Disney College Program, and Howard heading to GCU in the fall as a music major.

Wherever their singing takes them, they will both always have their high school “choir family.”

“You’re all singing together, and you’re all performing together, so it’s really a group effort,” Cook said. “You have to work together in order to build something, and I think that’s really important.”