On Oct. 25, 21 choir students performed at all-region in hopes of advancing to pre-area, the next round of the competition. Senior Raima Choudhary, a member of the varsity treble choir, was one of five students to advance.
“You have to really prepare your pieces before you get your cuts, especially from the next round onwards because you get your cuts right on the spot,” Choudhary said.
The region includes 50 students who have already passed the first round, making it highly competitive. Students prepare both in and out of school.
“I have voice lessons every week, and we get 20 minutes to practice with people who have the same voice part at the end of class,” Choudhary said. “At home, I practice around 20 to 30 minutes a day.”
Choir teacher Tracy Bradstreet also helps prepare students for the performances by providing resources.
“I give them the practice tracks, and there are camps they can go to for help,” Bradstreet said. “I also help them as needed.”
All students performed cuts from pieces selected by the Texas Music Educators Association all-state choir director: Rosas Pandan, which is in Filipino; Sednalo e Djore, which is in Georgian; and Butterfly Lullaby, which is in English.
“Rosas Pandan was the hardest piece because the tempo was very fast-paced and the dynamics changed very quickly from measure to measure,” Choudhary said. “It was also a struggle to learn the words because they were in a different language.”
Students are randomly ordered based on the time block they choose, meaning participants might perform immediately after warming up or wait longer.
“If you’re one of the last people to go, your voice is not as warmed up,” Choudhary said. “I was one of the last people to perform, so the first cut I sang was not as good and it took a while to get my voice back.”
In the audition room, five judges sit behind a curtain and score students’ performances based on musicality, which includes dynamics, articulation, tone and how well the student’s soft palate is raised. Although 16 of 21 students did not advance, the experience was valuable.
“Some people may have worked hard and not gotten the results they wanted, but I try to tell them that it’s part of the process and that they are growing,” Bradstreet said.
For Choudhary, competing in all-region is a way to grow as a musician.
“The reason I participated in this competition again was because it’s such a magical experience to be with people who are the same caliber as you,” Choudhary said. “Being able to sing with these people is out of this world.”
