After a rigorous audition, five vocal pathway students have been accepted into the All-District Choir.

At 8:00 a.m. on October 7th, students Lainey Jester, Abby Jordan, Tess Brown, Preather Preuitt, and Isaac Zimmerman arrived at De Smet Jesuit High School.

“We warmed up our voices for about an hour,” said junior Lainey Jester. “Then, individually, we did sight-singing.”

In this part of the audition, students had to identify given sharp and flat notes, as well as key signatures; afterward, they sang their chosen solo.

All of this was done with the three judges’ backs facing them.

“They’re turned around so that they can’t see us and be like ‘Oh I like that person, I’m going to let them in,’” said senior Tess Brown. “I thought I did the best on the sight-singing, but I got really nervous in my performance and forgot how to breathe.”

“[I did the best on] my dynamics and tone, which I struggled with in the beginning,” said Jester. “My breath support was pretty good, and I hit a note that I struggled with hitting.”

Now that the All-District Choir has been selected, the next matter of business are its rehearsals and All-State Choir auditions, respectively November 1st and 2nd. While the All-State audition will be much shorter, with one universal song, it will also be much more selective.

“It’s an honor to be chosen to audition for All-State,” Jester said, “but getting in is going to be a huge challenge.”