CCHS sends 19 students to All-State Choir

The Churchill County High School choir has 19 students who now hold the top honor of being on the All-State Choir.

Tom Fleming, CCHS music teacher, said he is very proud of students who achieved the honor.

“It’s funny … I have mixed feelings,” Fleming said. “I’m very happy for the ones who made it, but I share the disappointment with the ones who didn’t. The 24 students who auditioned are extremely talented and worked incredibly hard to make it to the auditions. I was surprised when a few of them didn’t get chosen because I know how talented they are.”

Fleming said it is a big honor when students are selected. He said the amount of work the students put in is astonishing. He said there are requirements that the students must meet before they’re able to try out for the All-State Choir.

“The students must be members of the honor choir ... a state rule,” Fleming said. “The committee is diligent about that and will check the roster to confirm every student is. The students then start practicing more than a month in advance for their auditions. I teach them skills they will use in the auditions. I teach them to not be self conscious and to perform at their best. They will then perform a live audition, which was held in Carson City. About 12 students perform their live audition at once.”

Fleming said there are five honor choir zones in Nevada. He said there six judges travel to each zone and listen to hundreds of auditions to select the few 180 students that will be on the All-State Choir.

Fleming said students who make All-State Choir have a huge advantage when applying to colleges.

“Being a member of the All-State Choir is a huge ‘look at me’ sing for college recruiters,” Fleming said. “A lot of the times the colleges go after the students before the students even apply and some get offered great scholarship opportunities.”

Fleming said students who were selected for All-State Choir in all five zones will converge in Reno on April 24-25 to rehearse before they perform together in a concert on April 26. The concert will be held at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts at 9:30 a.m. and is free to the public.

Several students selected for the All-State Choir shared their reactions when they found out they were chosen.

Senior Dustin Gross said he participated in sports until junior high school and now he will be attending AMDA: College and Conservatory for the Performing Arts in the fall to pursue a degree in musical theatre. He said when he started singing in choir he wasn’t at his peak but in time and with the proper training and practice he got there. Gross sings bass two.

“I was ecstatic when I found out I got selected,” Gross said. “I know what an honor it is to be selected for the All-State Choir and how hard I worked to get there. I’m happy with all of the memories that I’ve made in choir and all of the memories that I will make.”

Junior Alison James said she intends to major in music in college and plans to continue her singing in a college choir club. James sings alto one.

“I was extremely nervous waiting for the results of All-State Choir to get posted online,” James said. “My friend Nathan text me to let me know the results were up and when I looked and saw my name on the list I broke down crying. They were tears of joy and relief and just overall excitement.”

Junior Joseph Sorensen said his parents met in choir in college and that his entire family sings. He said that Mr. Fleming tracked him down and begged him to join choir and has been in choir ever since seventh grade. Sorensen sings bass one.

“I was beyond excited when I found out I made All-State Choir,” Sorensen said. “This is the third year that I’ve made it and each time it becomes more nerve wracking. If I make it my fourth year on All-State Choir I will be awarded with a special award acknowledging my accomplishment … it’s a big honor to make it all four years of high school.”

Senior Alex Nelson said when he was in elementary school his dad forced him to be in a play that had a singing part and ever since then he was hooked. He said he may join a choir club in college and that he intends to pursue a degree in law. Nelson sings tenor one.

“I was very excited when I found out I made All-State Choir this year, which is my final year,” Nelson said. “It’s been a big honor to make All State Choir for the past four years and to have that on my college resume looks really good.”