This year, the All State Choir included five students from the Nest. This year the choir performed on Sunday Feb 25, singing at Morgan State University. Each of the All State Choir students who were selected expressed great excitement about being a part of the event.
Sophomore Payten Ivy, juniors Amelia Joyner and Kira-Victoria Holt, and seniors Mickayla Friedel and Kalyna Lloyd were all accepted into the All State Choir.
Ivy had her first time experience in the All State Choir. Ivy was excited to “showcase [her] talents, skills, and understanding of vocal music.” To prepare for the performance, the members rehearsed from Feb 23 to the 25 at the Hilton Hotel in Baltimore, according to Ivy. She has been in various choirs for seven years. For the sophomore “getting accepted into the all state choir is very competitive,” and “even harder to prepare for the concert.” Once accepted, they “only have three days with the conductor and the rest of the choir” to rehearse.
Joyner “was more nervous than excited” because of not knowing the other singers. The junior has been singing for her whole life, but she decided to join the “high school Treble choir” this year. Joyner was the only student from the Nest to make the Treble choir, while the other members were in the mixed choir.
The choir sang “I Shall not Live in Vain” by Thomas Lavoy, “Nox” by Elaine Hagenburg, “O Shone Nacht” by Johannes Brahms, “A Song of Life” by Marques L.A. Garrett, “All Night I Could Not Sleep” by Laurel Luke Christainson, and “Daniel, Daniel, Servant of the Lord” by Undine Moore.
Holt is also experiencing her first time being in an All State choir. She was excited to meet “other people who care about music as much as [she] does.” This was Holt’s first time joining any high school choir as well.
Lloyd was selected for the third time this year to be in the All State choir. She has only participated in two years of the all state choir. Lloyd was most excited about this experience because they can “make really good music and connect with a lot of people and the conductor.” She has sung in the high school choir for the last four years, and has been singing overall since elementary school. Lloyd added that All state Choir is a “really good way to bond with friends” and “form deeper connections.”
