Nine Tyrone students will travel to Somerset High School to participate in the District Chorus Festival from Wednesday, February 6 to Friday, February 8.  While at the festival, these students will also be auditioning for Regional Chorus Competition.

The nine students who qualified for Districts are seniors Hannah Gampe, Ethan White, juniors Tyler Beckwith, Brent McNeel, Olivia Reese, Alexis Umholtz, Nick Vasbinder, Lindsey Walk, and sophomore Dean Grassi.

To prepare for districts, students are given a folder with 10 songs to learn. At districts, the vocalists audition for regionals on two parts of any of the 10 songs. The vocalists have no idea which parts they will be asked to perform, so they must prepare for all ten songs.

Their auditions are judged on five categories: pitch, rhythm, tone, technique, and musicianship.

Before auditions, students are split into their sections and put into holding rooms. They are then told what music they will perform. Each student then gets a number and are taken by fives to their audition rooms.

The audition process is very competitive and nerve-wracking for the students.

“It’s very difficult. It’s hard not to let your nerves get to you, it’s always hard waiting in suspense for the results,” said McNeel.

The students have been working hard since December to prepare for this festival.

“They all had recordings to practice with at home so they should be practicing their music at home in addition to the in schools rehearsals we’ve had,” said Tyrone Music Director Laura Harris.

This year’s guest conductor is Dr. Craig Denison from IUP.

The Tyrone students will sing with 39 other schools who will also participate in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 6 Chorus Festival.

Students will audition on Wednesday night, sing from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM Thursday night, sing again from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Friday.  The concert, which is open to the public, is at 7:00.

Although most of the students participating have attended the festival before, it is a new experience for junior Olivia Reese and sophomore Dean Grassi.

“I’m nervous about it [District Chorus] but excited to be invited,” said Grassi.

Students going to festivals such as this always look forward to the concert and hearing all of the parts coming together.

“My favorite thing is we put so much hard work into learning each song and then for it all to come together at the concert,” said Gampe.

Not only is the festival a good opportunity to learn and enjoy time with friends, but it also is a good way to meet new people and make new friends.

“I’m looking forward to meeting new people and hanging out with the crew,” said Grassi.

The district chorus festival concert is Friday, February 8th at 7:00 PM at Somerset High School. Tickets are $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for students at the door.

“We have nine students participating this year and I’m hoping that all nine of them move on to the Regional level,” said Harris.

Twenty two students per section move on to district chorus, and only 12 will be selected to move on to the regional level.

For the ones who move on, they will have to learn yet another folder of music that is harder and more challenging in five short weeks. At regional chorus, they will audition once again for a chance to move on to the state level.

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