On Saturday, Jan. 11, multiple Greenhill Choir students participated in the Texas Private School Music Educators Association All-Region concert. The concert was held at Trinity Christian Academy, gathering selected choir students from across the Dallas area.
Greenhill Choir students have been preparing over recent months to qualify for the TPSMEA All-Region Choir. When auditioning, students submit videos of themselves singing two songs, which are reviewed and then voted on by choir teachers in the area.
When students qualify, they are invited to rehearse and perform at TCA. The clinic is typically two days, however, was shortened to one day this year due to inclement weather. At the end of the day, students get to perform the new songs they learned for their friends and family.
“It was a long day,” sophomore Jenna Stenberg said. “We got there at 10 a.m. for practice and sang for our family and friends at 5 p.m.”
While the choir usually sings traditional choral songs, they got to sing a mixture of songs, including “Alleluia, O Praise the Lord Most Holy,” “I Sing Because I’m Happy” and “Flight Song.”
Upper School Choir teacher Emmanuel Espiritu says that it was a great experience as the students not only got to sing with new people, but they also got to learn under two different choir teachers.
“One of the clinicians was the choir director at Baylor,” Espiritu said. “The other was a teacher that is well known in the DFW area, which is a great experience and a really fun time.”
Additionally, the students and teachers bonded during their lunch breaks as they ate together at various restaurants.
“We had a great time just relaxing and having fun, eating good food before having to get back and sing,” Espiritu said.
Stenberg says she enjoyed the event as they got to meet and work with others from different schools.
Espiritu says the goal for Greenhill choir is to have more students audition for the TPMSEA choir and hopefully have more make it to the All-Region and All-State level in future years.
“My goal is to have more and more students audition every year,” Espiritu said. “This is kind of the cream of the crop as far as the private schools and state go.”
