Seven students from Midway High School have been selected as members of the 2024 Texas All-State Choir, placing them among the top 2.6% of over 70,000 students who auditioned statewide.
All-State is the highest honor a Texas music student can receive, and high schoolers chosen to perform in the Texas Music Educators Association All-State concerts have competed through three rounds of auditions to qualify at the state level. Congratulations to these outstanding musicians:
Millicent Cherry – Sophomore, 1st Chair Soprano 2, All-State Mixed Choir
Sam Conaway – Junior, 2nd Chair Tenor 2, All-State Mixed Choir
Ashira Fronk - Senior, 3rd Chair Alto 1, All-State Mixed Choir
Mia Gulley – Senior, 7th Chair Alto, All-State Treble Choir
Sofia Mata – Junior, 6th Chair Alto 1, All-State Treble Choir
Asher Beck – Junior, 4th Chair Tenor 2, All-State Tenor-Bass Choir
Jackson Owen – Junior, 6th Chair Bass 2, All-State Tenor-Bass Choir
As a sophomore, Cherry earned the top seat in the state as first chair for soprano two in the All-State Mixed Choir. Additionally, Conaway and Beck are back for their third year as All-State Choir members, and Owen is returning for a second year.
The competitive All-State process begins throughout Texas in auditions hosted by 33 TMEA regions. To audition, individual musicians perform selected music for a panel of judges who rank each instrument or voice part.
From this ranking, a select group advances from their region to compete against musicians from other areas in eight TMEA area competitions. This year, 11 Midway Choir students advanced to audition in the area round.
The highest-ranking musicians judged at the TMEA area competitions qualify to perform in a TMEA All-State music group. These All-State students participate in three days of rehearsals directed by nationally recognized conductors during the TMEA Clinic/Convention in February. Their performances for thousands of attendees bring the event to a close.
Midway’s seven All-State Choir students are all under the direction of Midway High School Choral Directors Jeff Rice, Jannifer Rice, and Caleb Overstreet. Additionally, Beck, Conaway, Cherry, and Gulley are private voice students of Dr. David Guess. Owen and Fronk are private voice students of Mrs. Julianne Best, and Mata studies privately with Mrs. Tina Hays.
