Oliver Etherington and Phoebe Mischler were accepted into the highly competitive All-State Honor Choir, a prestigious opportunity that celebrates their musical dedication and excellence.
“It is a huge honor to be accepted,” said choir director Dr. Jennifer Gillis.
To get accepted into the All-State choir, the students underwent two rounds of initial auditions, which took place at Enid High School. After advancing through both of those, they went through a third audition at the University of Central Oklahoma, where they prepared their previous pieces along with four new ones.
These pieces included classical works, folk songs and spirituals.
“The second audition is where they really get the people who tried their hardest and refined all of their skills,” said Etherington.
When reflecting on their auditions, the two recalled their favorite pieces: “Fire” and “Stars in Your Bones.” They said these pieces felt liberating and were fun to perform.
Once they passed their auditions, they were sent to separate weekend long conferences.
Etherington spent Jan. 16-18 in Tulsa at the OKMEA conference, while Mischler attended the OKCDA conference in downtown OKC, Jan. 9-11.
As members of the All-State Honor Choir, the two joined numerous talented singers from across the state for an intense three-day conference. They rehearsed for long hours each day under the guidance of conductors, creating a beautiful ending performance.
For Mischler, this journey was equally challenging and rewarding. With help from Gillis, she was able to equally balance her schoolwork with the rigorous practice needed to succeed.
“I would kind of overthink,” she said. “Overall, the experience helped me learn to be more extroverted.”
Both students claimed that being part of the choir helped them connect deeper with music, heightening their desire to pursue it in the future.
“This experience helped me realize how important music really is to me,” Etherington said.
This is Gillis’s fifth year in a row to have her students make it to All-State.
