The 22 choir students who were named to the All-District choir following auditions Sept. 26 will advance to All-Region Auditions Oct. 31.

Approximately 530 students from across the district auditioned in the first round of the four-audition process to make the TMEA All-State choir. Canyon’s choir department brought 37 students to the audition, with 22 earning a place in the choir as well as three alternates. Students received music for the audition as early as May of this year.

“I’ve been working on this process for about four months,” sophomore Nathan Solomon said. “I got the music in June when I went to choir camp at WT, and I have worked on it pretty much every day since then.”

The day of the auditions, students arrived at Pampa High School at 8 a.m. to register and then moved to a holding room until called to the audition room. The students sang a section or “cut” from each three pieces of music for a panel of judges, who then ranked the students based on accuracy, tone, and musicality. At the upcoming region audition, students will be given an additional 30 seconds to learn and sing a line of music they have not seen before.

“For district we really just have to know our music,” Solomon said. “For region and the later auditions, we are going to have to practice a lot more and work a lot harder to know pitches and have musicality.”

Students find out if they will advance to the next audition in the holding room when auditions conclude. The Region Chair announces the choir in descending order by chair rank to all who auditioned. The list is comprised of a small school choir of eight chairs and two alternates and a large school choir of 17 chairs and two alternates.

“We have a tradition of all sitting up at the front in a big circle and holding hands while they call out the names,” senior Kayla Finke said. “In my mind I’m going back over my whole audition and thinking about things I might have missed or could have changed. I’m also thinking about what everyone else has said about their audition and hoping with all my heart that every single person got a place because everyone has worked so hard.”

Results from All-District Choir Auditions:

Soprano 1

Maddie Farren-8th Chair

Braelly Jones-11th Chair

Krissy Niles-15th Chair

Tori Ross-1st Alternate

Soprano 2

Emily Tull-7th Chair

Audrey Hughes-11th Chair

Carley Robinson-1st Alternate

Alto 1

Chayse Armstong-2nd Chair

Kayla Finke-4th Chair

Callie Boren-11th Chair

Katelyn Donais-15th Chair

Alto 2

Claire Horn-2nd Chair

Blaklee Brownd-4th Chair

Rebecca Granda-17th Chair

Tenor 1

Mitchell Hernandez-2nd Chair

Draden Walker-14th Chair

Nolan Quintanilla-2nd Alternate

Tenor 2

Christian Theiss-5th Chair

Leo Regal-10th Chair

Bass 1

Ryan Boren-7th Chair

Nathan Solomon-9th Chair

Bass 2

Conner Nall-7th Chair

Josiah Dye-8th Chair

Brylee Walker-12th Chair

Isaac Kizzar-14th Chair