Top photo: The Hays High School Choir advances eleven members to the State Solo and Ensemble Contest, earning 1st Division ratings on their Class I solos at regional competition. They include (back, left to right) Jenna Kadjar, Luke Leamons, Alaina McFadden; (center, left to right) Arianna Martinez, Natalie Lyon, Sydney Rye, Cassidy Gotcher; (front, left to right) Ashley Loosier, Paris Uch and Peyton Perez. Not pictured: Clay Cooper. Bottom photo: Seventeen members of the Lehman High School Choir earned the right to advance to the State Solo and Ensemble Competition, traditionally held Memorial Day weekend on the campus of the University of Texas. The state-qualifying Lobos include (back, left to right) Quentin Cummings, Kori Clark, Maddy Hewitt, Justin Lloyd; (2nd row, left to right) Sesily Faddis, Michaela Castillo, Ethan Becker, Chris Park, Nancy Alatorre; (3rd row, left to right) Alaina Martinez, Lea Jefferson, Katherine Arredondo and Kristen Lyle; (front, left to right) Monica Manriquez, Catherine Gonzalez and Jaymison Ramos. Not pictured: Michael Rosello.
by JIM CULLEN
High achievement has become the norm for Hays CISD high school choral programs, but it’s always fun to follow the successes of the Lehman and Hays High School choirs. The latest dual measure of recognition goes to students entering the annual Solo and Ensemble Contest and coming away with a bushel of Division 1 scores. An equally impressive contingent of students qualified for the Choir State Solo and Ensemble Contest late this school year in Austin.
Twenty-eight local choir students qualified to go on to state competition by virtue of earning a 1st Division score on a Class 1 Solo. Seventeen of those advancing students are from Director Daniel Arredondo’s Lehman Lobo Choir and 11 are from Hays High’s Nancy Cavendish-directed choir. The Lobos added another 21 students earning recognition for 1st Division on Class 2 or 3 pieces and the Rebels added 21 of their own, either on solos or ensembles.
Full results include the following:
Lehman: Class 1, 1st Division, Advancing to State – Nancy Alatorre, Katherine Arredondo, Ethan Becker, Michaela Castillo, Quentin Cummings, Kori Clark, Sesily Faddis, Catherine Gonzalez, Maddy Hewitt, Lea Jefferson, Justin Lloyd, Kristen Lyle, Monica Manriquez, Alaina Martinez, Chris Park, Jaymison Ramos, Michael Rosello.
Class 2 or 3, 1st Division – Mellie Abascal, Alisha Amundsen, Michelle Chavez, Christina Cruz, Sarah Fuller, Ariel Gray, Jenna Harlan, Kristen Jefferson, Dean Kirchhofer, Christian Majors, Laura Marshall, Oshey Martinez, Deborah Nochez, Roman Padilla, Marissa Palacios, Angela Partida, Jordan Romec, Alex Terry, Danielle Villegas, Kate Widdowson, Alicia Villanueva.
Hays: Class 1, 1st Division, Advancing to State – Clay Cooper, Cassidy Gotcher, Jenna Kadjar, Luke Leamons, Ashley Loosier, Natalie Lyon, Arianna Martinez, Alaina McFadden, Peyton Perez, Sydney Rye, Paris Uch.
Class 2 Solo, 1st Division – Monica Aguilar, Ian Antonellis, Lane Cagle, Anna DePenning, Leah Hixon, Ciarra Lowden-Smith, Megan McCauley, Kaygan Nielson, Marinna Peralez, Marissa Sigala, Kayleigh Soukup, Emma Stewart, Ally Subia, Erin Wieser, Sarah Wilson.
1st Division Ensemble – Ashley Loosier, Natalie Lyon, Alaina McFadden, Peyton Perez, Erin Wieser, Lindsey Yazbek.
