Choir:

The Brook Hill Guard Chorale competed at the TAPPS State Vocal Meet on Friday at The University of Mary Hardin Baylor. The choir received Superior ratings on all 4 ensembles, as well as on their sight-reading event, which earned them the Sweepstakes award. This is when a choir receives a Superior rating for both their Large Ensemble (performing 3 pieces) and their sight-reading (singing a song they have never seen before in 3 part harmony – having only one chance to sing it with no start-overs!). Also, seven soloists received Superior ratings for their events: Claire Dixon, Amber Wright, Caleb Wagner, Megan Priddy, Hayden Langemeier, Lauren Eden, and Kelsey Kilgore. Receiving an Excellent rating was soloist Chipper Adams and Daniel Chambless received a Good rating.

Overall, the choir placed third in the state out of 21 different 3A schools competing! Many of the judges commented on their musicality, focus, stage presence, and attention to detail. One of our judges is the director of choirs for UMHB and she’s a tough one to impress. Her comments were, “Lovely sound and vocal production!” “Exquisite musicality!”

Orchestra:

Congratulations to Varsity Orchestra for their fine performances, hard work and perseverance at the 2014 TAPPS State String Contest held at University of Mary-Hardin Baylor.  The students played very well and received many compliments from the judges, but the scoring was extremely stiff and at a level unlike all our previous years at State TAPPS.  Only two schools out of 1A-5A received a Superior rating for Large Ensemble performance.

Our Varsity Orchestra received Excellent ratings for Large Ensemble, small ensembles and solos.  Jazz Ensemble received a Superior rating and freshman, Julia Ha wowed the judge with her professional performance of a Mozart piano sonata and earned a Superior+ rating!

Our mighty team of 14 students practiced & performed over a five hour span in 11 events with most students playing a minimum of 5 pieces and some as many as 8 pieces.  The day was not just musical, but also athletic with hauling equipment between different venues back & forth across the university campus, up & down stairs numerous times while dressed in full concert black attire for 5 hours.

The TAPPS State Instrumental Music Contest experience has been appropriately described by BH alum, former BH football player & Varsity Orchestra bass player & ‘06 Salutatorian, Aaron Clements as he commented when nearing the final event of his long TAPPS State music contest day, “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do!”