
MADISON – A group of Liberty students have something to sing about.
Liberty had 31 choir students qualified for the 2021-2022 Alabama All State Choir. “This is a record for our school,” said Alicia Moreno Mulloy, director of choral music at Liberty.
Each year, the Alabama Vocal Association hosts the All-State Choral Festival, a three-day event that ends with a professionally recorded concert.
“The festival is an opportunity for students with exceptional ability and initiative to receive public recognition, sing under the direction of nationally recognized choral clinicians and perform choral literature of the highest quality. ”Said Mulloy.
This year’s All State Choir auditions at Mayfair Church of Christ in Huntsville have returned to a face-to-face format. Students had to prepare six or seven songs to play for the judges.
The Liberty students selected by audition for the Alabama Vocal Association All State Choir are Hany Amer, Mavaea Baker, Shelby Bryant, Heather Campbell, Jaelyn Clay, Ava Cooper, Reagan Curry, Mason Douglas, Brycen Fuller, Annabelle Gagliano, Elijah Greer, Andrew Handley, Tavin Haygood, Abigail Holme, Errius Horrison, Hayden Irwin, Jayden Jacoby Bradford, Dylan Jester, Lauren Johnson, Annie Kate Lane, Tyler Lapp, Sarah Mays, Vivien Mueller, Scarlett Pressell, Layla Prevatt, Brennan Ragsdale, Taylor Richmond, Eric Salguerio, Andrew Smith, Ana Sullivan and Erin Weyenburg.
These auditions were open to students in Grades 7 to 12 who are enrolled in a choir class at their school. “Thousands of students audition each year, but only a few hundred students are chosen to participate in each choir. It’s a very competitive festival, ”said Mulloy.
“My favorite part of preparing for the All State Choir auditions is our ‘LMS All State Night (which) was held on the Friday night before the auditions. It was two hours of hard work and fun, ”said Mulloy.
“We challenged the students to video-record themselves in small groups doing silly actions with their songs in different areas of the campus,” Mulloy said. For example, a student might record themselves singing an audition song in a yoga pose in a school stairwell.
“We ended the night with pizza night and a scary story, in which most of the boys were screaming like little ladies. It was truly a night to remember, ”said Mulloy.
The students reacted enthusiastically when they learned that the judges had selected them. Shelby Bryant said: “I cried when I saw Ms. Mulloy’s text message that I did!” Hayden Irwin was happy “that my hard work paid off.” Abigail Holme said, “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!”
“I am so proud of the students. Not only are they fantastic singers, but they are also fantastic human beings, ”said Mulloy. “They show gratitude, respect and kindness on a daily basis. They are true passionate learners, fearless leaders and children of exceptional character.
The All-State Choral Festival 2022 will be held with accomplished conductors from March 10-12, 2022 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham.