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All-State choir was performed on Oct. 12, when NS sent Lin Anderson, Hallie Probst, Ethan Mendicino, and Logan Martin to the tabernacle to perform, leaving their teacher Timothy Kidder amazed.
The songs they got to sing were “Awake the Harp,” “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” “Climb Every Mountain” a mix by Rodgers and Hammerstein, “Keramos” with lyrics written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Swing Down Sweet Chariot,” “Awake the Harp,” and “Prayer” written by Mother Teresa.
All-State choir is when the best of the best in the choir learn new songs as a group then take the songs and perform at the tabernacle with about 580 other students from other schools.
“All-State choir is an all-star team, but it’s for choir high school programs around the states and their top students to participate,” Kidder said.
They performed on the 12th, but had a multitude of rehearsals leading up to the special day. To prepare, they met at Salem Hills, Taylorville High, and also practiced individually to ensure everything was perfect. When they got to the tabernacle they were taught even more.
“[We had to learn] all the notes and rhythms and texts and learning, everything that we knew how to do we had to apply it and be as ready as we could so that our guest conductor could take us even further and teach us new things,” Kidder said.
The students would meet during flex or any time they had to go over the songs and sing. This experience came with struggles of scheduling and stress. Pushing through those struggles however, helped their performance become one to remember.
“It was absolutely phenomenal. I’ve never been in a venue like that before. I’ve never performed in a venue like that,” Mendicino said, “and being in front of everybody in front of hundreds of people, we all got to sing together and feel music.”
The tabernacle gave them an experience they learned and grew from, giving them new ideas of what they can do to get better at their talent in choir.
“I learned a lot about different vocal techniques, different phrasing ways, and how to really work on something and focus on it and put in my energy and effort into making something beautiful,” Anderson said.
Meeting new students from other schools created a blend of voices that was new and stunning.
“Just being able to hear all of the voices come together into this as my mother said, ‘a choir of angels’,” Anderson said. “And being able to hear all about how all of our voices can mix and blend and turn into beauty [was one of my favorite parts].”.
This experience gives them something to look back on and something to give them to work harder so that they can make themselves even better than what they already were. It gave them tips and ideas giving them an experience they won’t forget.
“[Experiences like these] are great experiences that you will remember for the rest of your life,” Mendicino said.
For NS to have students that are the best of the best to be able to go and perform with other schools like this is a very special experience for both the school, the teacher, and the students.
“It’s a really great opportunity and I’m really thankful that our school and our administrators support us and let us do things like this for students and not everybody gets to, so we’re pretty lucky,” Kidder said.
