Three students qualified for All-State Choirs Jan. 11. Junior Bailey Deberry ranked as the fourth chair placing her in the All-State Mixed Choir and seniors Morgan Finke, tenth chair, and Shane Price, seventh chair, will advance to the All-State Men’s and Women’s choirs.  Senior Christian Farren, thirteenth chair, is the first alternate for the All-State Men’s Choir.

Auditions were held at Abilene Cooper High School Jan. 11 beginning at 8 a.m. Head choir director and Area Chairman Brandon Farren announced the 70 names who made an All-State Choir around 4 p.m.

“Mr. Farren was reading the results and we all sat at the front of the cafeteria and we held hands and just waited for our fate,” Deberry said. “Everyone was really encouraging and happy for each other but, it was hard to be excited completely because of all of my friends that didn’t make it.”

Brandon Farren said students auditioned in Area 1, which covers about a fourth of the state. He said the area is one of the most competitive.

“I’m just super proud of not only our All-Staters but of every single kid that auditioned,” Brandon Farren said. “The reason that I love it so much is not because of the glory of making All-State Choir but watching kids really grow as musicians. It takes an incredible talent and incredible work to make it, obviously, because we took ten kids that are some of the best in the state and not all of them made it.”

Students who made the choirs will perform four new pieces in addition to past audition pieces. Students will practice on their own before they leave for a four-day rehearsal with nationally recognized conductors at the 2014 Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Clinic/Convention in San Antonio.

“It’s a lot of music but, the All-State choirs, especially in Texas, are the best in the country,” Brandon Farren said. “There’s nothing in the world that compares to these All-State choirs.”

After the six month process students will be able to present their talents in concert Feb. 15 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center as part of TMEA. The Mixed Choir will perform at noon. The Women’s Choir will perform at 3:30 p.m. and the Men’s Choir will perform at 5:00 p.m.

“It is such an honor to have made it after all of the hard work and dedication,” Finke said.