Highland High School choir director brings local boy's story to life through Sing Me a Story Foundation

GRANGER TWP. — Matthew Droes, a 9-year-old with Williams Syndrome, recently had his larger-than-life story told through a musical performance by Highland choirs in partnership with the Sing Me a Story Foundation. Katie Droes, Matthew's mother, said Williams Syndrome is a rare genetic condition in which the deletion of genes can lead to medical problems and developmental issues. "One of the amazing things about Williams Syndrome is that they just love everybody," she said. "They genuinely have empathy for everyone, and they love being with people. They thrive on that." The Sing Me a Story Foundation connects children with songwriters and musicians by having the artists transform the child's story into music. Highland High School Choir Director Chris Ilg said he was intrigued by the opportunity and agreed to it. Typically, different people act as the composer and the director, but he filled both roles for Matthew's story due to unique circumstances. "I taught the child's mother, and I know the child's grandmother," he said. "When I came to Highland 35 years ago, they were a family that opened their doors and said, 'You should come over and eat dinner at our house.' I ate dinner at the grandma and grandpa's house of this child for years in the '90s." Droes is a Highland graduate, and Ilg played the organ at her wedding. It was a coincidence that Ilg was selected to share Matthew's story. "I lost a sibling a couple years ago, and it made me feel like that was truly divine intervention and his way of pairing us together," she said. "It made me so happy." Matthew told a story about his extended family going on vacation together, in which they were on a bus, experienced a traffic jam and danced in the streets, Ilg said. "Almost every single individual with Williams Syndrome has this affinity for music," Droes said. "They feel the music so deeply, and they thrive through learning music. When I found out about Sing Me a Story, I was like this program was created for individuals with Williams Syndrome. You couldn't have created something better." llg converted Matthew's story into rhyme while keeping in all the little details. He then turned it into choir music to fit the skills of the Highland choirs he teaches. "Matthew is a larger-than-life little kid," he said. "He's the life of the room when he walks in. I knew I wanted it to not be this serious, profound and meaningful piece that's really deep about philosophy and life. It needed to be a party song." Matthew's story was performed at Highland's February choir concert on Feb. 24 as the final song, Ilg said. All the choirs came up on stage to sing the song for him. "It was his story," Droes said. "It was his dream that he could say whatever he wanted, even if it was silly. That was an amazing experience for him, where his ideas were validated and important." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.