Corsicana HS choir earns top honors at event

May 13, 2008 12:38 am

— SOUTH PADRE ISLAND - Corsicana High School’s choir students received the Overall Outstanding Ensemble award last weekend at their annual spring contest, the highest honor a school can achieve.
The 12 CHS students earned a Superior Rating and were also honored as Outstanding in Class by the judges, all of whom serve as UIL judges.
“Being such a small group, it’s sometimes hard to keep a strong unified sound, but they did just that,” said CHS Director of Choral Activities Mike Huffstetler. “Overall, I feel the trip was a success, and is a good primer for not only recruitment, but building a larger and stronger choral program in Corsicana, not just CHS.
“While most schools who attend these contests steer away from classic UIL literature and perform more pop-based repertoire, we went the opposite route, performing one of our UIL pieces by G.F. Handel, an English Madrigal, and what can only be described as a jazzy tune with strong choral elements. I don’t believe in what many consider ‘fluff’ music, instead opting for pieces that will help the students grow musically.”
The students who participated in the contest included: Nathan Horton, Jon Castleman, Arely Avila, Jamoya Thomas, Leah Ribaul, Randy Woods, Taylor Horn, Sarah Schmidt, Nidya Guevara, Shannon Beasley, Kati Tibbits and Alexis Aguirre.
— Staff Reports