Lehman High School members of the Texas Music Educators Association All-Region 18 Choir include (back, left to right), Justin Lloyd, Michael Robles, Joshua Banbury, Bryan Bell, Nathan Castro, Chris Park, Ethan Becker; (center, left to right) Jenna Harlan, Michaela Castillo, Katherine Arredondo; (front, left to right) Kate Widdowson, Taryn Bailey, Oshey Martinez, Lea Jefferson, Sesily Faddis. Not pictured: Jaymison Ramos, Maddie Hewitt. (Photo by Jim Cullen)
by JIM CULLEN
The first step in the annual climb to a place in the State Choir began for full contingents of the Lehman and Hays high school choirs recently, with weekend auditions for the 4A Region 18 Choir held at the San Marcos High School Performing Arts Center. Sponsored by the Texas Music Educators Association, the auditions netted 28 Region Choir slots for HCISD students, with 17 of that number qualifying to advance to the next level of competition, Pre-Area.
Lehman High School Choir Director Daniel Arredondo saw 17 of his auditioning members draw Region Choir honors, with 11 of that number advancing to Pre-Area. Hays High School Choir Director Charles Flores, having just succeeded retired director Nancy Cavendish, guided his students to 11 Region Choir places, six of that group qualifying for Pre-Area.
Both Arredondo and Flores focused on the commitment of their students in preparing for the Region. Flores noted his students “worked very hard, outside of school time, and on top of music learned for choir concerts” to prepare for the audition. “I am very proud of them,” he said after the auditions, a sentiment echoed by Arredondo.
Lobos advancing to Pre-Area include Katherine Arredondo, Joshua Banbury, Ethan Becker, Bryan Bell, Michaela Castillo, Nathan Castro, Lea Jefferson, Justin Lloyd, Chris Park, Jaymison Ramos, and Michael Robles. They were joined on the Region Honor Treble Choir by fellow Lehman singers Taryn Bailey, Sesily Faddis, Jenna Harlan, Maddie Hewitt, Oshey Martinez and Kate Widdowson.
Rebels moving on to Pre-Area include Soprano I singers Ashley Loosier and Madeleine Lyon (1st and 2nd Chair, respectively), Alto I singers Arianna Martinez and Sydney Rye, Tenor II Paris Uch, and Bass II Ian Antonellis. They were joined on the Region Honor Treble Choir by fellow Hays singers Lindsey Yazbeck, Erin Wieser, Anna Depenning, Emily Buslett and Natalie Lyon.
Pre-Area auditions will be held Monday, Nov. 21, at Anderson High School in Austin.
