After making it to the Select Northern Region High School Honor Choir in the fall, a small number of KO students have been selected to participate in the All-State Honor Choir this spring. The chosen students are senior Johnny Kung, sophomore Pindar Chen, and freshman Gordon Beck.
Although the process for auditioning for the All-State choir is very similar to that of the Regional choir, it is a much more selective group. Johnny described his audition experience. “First, you have to sing two scales, typically D-major and G-major,” he explained. “Then, you have to prepare one part of a four-part piece to sing in front of the judges. Finally you have to sight read eight measures of music, which you have a minute to prepare for [before performing]. The judges score you on all three categories and that score determines if you get in or not.”
Although the All-State choir typically performs six or seven challenging choral pieces each year, the group isn’t given much time to prepare, adding another layer of challenge to the experience. There are only three days of rehearsals, so participants are expected to already know the music ahead of time.
Johnny shared what his experience at last year’s All-State festival was like. “We went to the Connecticut Convention Center and stayed at a nearby hotel for three days and rehearsed for a very long time, around six hours every day,” he said.
Johnny elected to stay in a nearby hotel provided for by the Connecticut Music Educators Association (CMEA), but students are also given the option to commute to rehearsals. For those staying in the hotel, the CMEA provides special activities each night, including guest performances and movie screenings, which help participants get to know each other and bond.
Johnny explained that getting to work with renowned guest conductors and perform with other talented singers is an incredible opportunity for KO students. He also just enjoys being surrounded by peers who are just as enthusiastic about music as he is.
“If you do get in, it is a wonderful experience to just do music for three days and nothing else with all the other talented musicians from different parts of the state,” Johnny said. “You can learn a lot from them and from the event itself.”
This wonderful experience would not be possible without the efforts of Choral Director Steve Mitchell, who also acts as an adjudicator for other hopeful students who want to audition.
We wish these students the best as they seize this amazing opportunity, and we know that they will represent KO well!
