Choir students earn state honors
Eight members of the Tyler Consolidated High School Chamber Choir performed March 6 with the 2010 West Virginia All State Chorus.
The Tyler Consolidated Choirs have consistently placed the maximum amount of singers in the All State Chorus since the school opened in 1993 with eight members each of sixteen of the past seventeen years, (in 2002, seven were selected).
The students auditioned on March 23 for a panel of three state judges and Consolidated students were the best ensemble of the day in Region 6. Some schools at the competition had all failures.
The Tyler Consolidated students were complimented on their preparation and overall sound.
The All State Chorus is sponsored by the West Virginia Music Educators Conference and is held in conjunction with the state music convention. The students spend all day Thursday and Friday in rehearsals with the guest conductor and close the convention on Saturday with the All State Music Concert that includes the All State Choir, Band, and Orchestra in three separate programs.
The conference was held in Charleston on March 4-6 with Dr. Paul Rardin serving as the All State Chorus conductor. Rardin is associate director of choirs at the University of Michigan. Dr. Rardin is also a published arranger, composer, and author. He has also presented at regional and national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association and the Music Educators National Conference.
Members of the All State Chorus from Tyler Consolidated include: Kelsey Sole (soprano I), Katie Klages (soprano II), Emily Moore (alto I), Amanda Goodfellow (alto II), Job Hadley (tenor II), Greg Gust (bass I), Charlie Hamilton (bass II), and David Chichick (bass II.)
The students worked very hard on their own time this year and snow days made it difficult to rehearse together as a team. “This is a team of eight highly motivated and very talented young singers,” stated Clara Glover, TCHS Choir director.
“The kids are pretty much self-sufficient. They have been great students and give freely of their energy and talent at home and on the state level. I am sure their parents are very proud of their accomplishments. It is always exciting to me, even after 34 years of teaching, to see my students earn their place in these events and to watch them grow and excel.”