Tea Area students selected to National Honor Choirs

By Anne Homan

Pictured at left are students selected to the High School National Honor Choir. They include, from left to right, (back row): Gracelynn Preheim, Meredith Decker, Kairis Thomas; (front row): Abby Thoreson, and Lydia Decker

Several Tea Area School District students have been chosen to perform in the 2023 American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Honor Choirs which will take play on Feb. 22-25 in Cincinnati, OH.

The selection process consisted of the students submitting recorded auditions of singing scales, an excerpt from the repertoire they will be performing at the honor choir, and a prepared solo.

Following auditions, nine students from the Tea Area School District were selected to participate in the honor choirs.

Performing in the High School SSAA Honor Choir will be senior Lydia Decker. The choir will be under the direction of Pearl Shangkuan, conductor.

Performing in the Junior High/Middle School Honor Choir will be seventh grader Dawson Lowery, eighth graders Riley Clark, Jacob Birger; and ninth graders Meredith Decker, Gracelynn Preheim, Kairis Thomas, and Abby Thoreson. The choir will be under the direction of conductor, Andrea Ramsey.

Performing in the Elementary Honor Choir will be sixth grader Breanna Reiners. Fernando Malvar-Ruiz will be the conductor for the choir.

Prior to the National Honor Choir, several Tea Area students will be partaking in the 2023 SD-ACDA Junior Honor Choirs which will take place in Rapid City, Jan. 20-21. Students submitted recorded auditions consisting of singing scales, an excerpt from the repertoire they will be performing at the honor choir, and a prepared patriotic solo.

Thirteen students from the Tea Area School District were selected to participate in the state honor choirs.

Participating in the SSA Honor Choir will be seventh grader Daphne Decker, eighth graders Sydney Jones and Avianna Steen, and ninth graders Meredith Decker and Ashlyn Karpinen. The choir will present their final performance on Jan. 21 at the Performing Arts Center in Rapid City.

Performing in the SATB Honor Choir will be seventh graders Dawson Lowery and Ansel McGraw; eighth graders Riley Clark, Jacob Birger, Sage Fanning, and Addison Kamps; and ninth graders Gracelynn Preheim and Abby Thoreson. The choir will present their final performance on Jan. 18 at the Performing Arts Center in Rapid City.