Mr. Riley Worthen
New choral director Mr. Riley Worthen is now working his dream job, and, to say the least, he feels “blessed.”
“I remember him opening up class by saying, ‘Y’all, we are so blessed to be here, making music in Lake Forest’, and I just loved it,” senior Mary Clayton said. “It comforts me to know that our new director is just as excited to work with us as we are to welcome him.”
Worthen, a seasoned musician and LFHS alum, applied for the position last winter. After working with Mr. Haskett during his four year at the high school, what made him stand out was his willingness to adapt to Haskett’s previous curriculum, while offering additional suggestions to further benefit the students.
Senior Lucy Rubinstein, a member of the student hiring committee, took note of his passion for the arts as he first introduced himself.
“I could feel his love for music through the computer screen,” Rubinstein said. “He knows exactly what he’s doing, yet he’s still willing to try new things to help us succeed.”
Even for the students who didn’t meet him in the winter, his positivity and passion was evident from his first official introduction. His daily dose of Spotify sounds, as junior Ruby Stockon says, “helps the kids start off the period with a smile.”
“Mr. Worthen’s pre-class music choices, including the soundtrack from The Politician and Ben Platt’s newest album, make me happy to be in choir,” Stockton said.
Having been apart of Haskett’s choral program in the past, Worthen told each student early on that he plans to not only introduce new traditions, such as opening the class with Spotify music, but also work to preserve the integral components of choir. Accompanist Mrs. Natasha Mah is “confident that he will work to maintain that balance.”
“He was in Madrigals when he was a student at LFHS,” said Mah, “so he definitely knows what it takes to run that program. “He wants to make sure we keep all of our extra-curricular groups running for the students, especially given the uncertainty we’re living in.”
In addition, Mah appreciates how Worthen plans to go above and beyond in a safe, timely manner to create lasting connections with his students.
“He’s making “porch visits” to each student’s home in order to meet both them and their families in person,” Mah said. “He’s dedicating three weeks of his after-school free time to do this, and he’s planning on heading all around the Lake Forest and Lake Bluff communities; I think that perfectly speaks to his commitment, dedication, and overall character.”
Despite the challenges he’s facing as both a new faculty member and an educator dealing with COVID-19, Worthen keeps his head high and his heart focused on the things that matter most – the music and the well being of the kids who make it.
“Even though I barely know him, seeing Mr. Worthen always makes me excited for the class period,” Stockton said. “He just hopes to build a community centered around music; you can see it on the Google Meet when people start the class singing to his songs.”
“I am ecstatic and hopeful for the year to come!”