Ten of the 20 students who auditioned for the UIL Area Choir will advance to the state audition Jan. 11 in Abilene, TX.

Students auditioned Dec. 5 at Bushland High School. The top five of each section advanced to the Area Choir. From the Panhandle area, 40 students remain in the final stage of the audition process, and 10 are from Canyon.

“We were almost exactly what I was hoping and expecting us to do,” director Brandon Farren said. “It is just nice to know that all that work pays off for so many. I am really proud of what they have done.”

Students learned three new pieces of music and sight read in order to secure a spot in the Area Choir.

“As far as the competition, it was definitely more advanced,” junior Abby Franks said. “It was nerve wracking walking into an audition room knowing that you are competing against so many other talented people. I completely choked during my audition and thought I bombed it, but my sight reading ended up saving me.”

At the state auditions, the top four boys and the top four girls will be selected from each section to advance to the All-State Mixed Choir. Places five through eight for men and places five through 10 for women will advance to the All-State Men and Women’s Choirs.

“Repetition is the key,” Franks said. “We have been doing this music for the last two auditions so we are really comfortable with it. But, musicality is the separates you at the state level.”

Farren said the students at Canyon have an incredible work ethic. He said he sees his job as a blessing more than a job.  He said he is grateful he can help students increase their musical education and fulfill their needs for hard work.

“I am thankful for the choir that I am in and to Mr. Farren and Mrs. Harter for helping the students learn this difficult music,” senior Adrianna Ortiz said. “Without him I do not think as many people would have made it from our school. Getting into the All-State process made me a better singer.”

 Soprano 1

1^st Chair- Morgan Finke

2^nd Chair- Bailey DeBerry

Soprano 2

4^th Chair- Adrianna Ortiz

Alto 1

4^th Chair- Hannah Williams

Alto 2

4^th Chair- Abby Franks

Tenor 1

2^nd Chair- Shane Price

4^th Chair- Colton Eder

Tenor 2

5^th Chair- Zack Wilcox

Bass 1

2^nd Chair- Christian Farren

Bass 2

3^rd Chair- Aaron Hughes