Junior Darby Kendrick, along with 21 other choir students, participated in the annual UIL Region 18 Solo and Ensemble Contest on February 8. Kendrick walked into a high school classroom to perform her solo “For You There Is No Song” by Leslie Adams, for one lone judge to evaluate her.
”I was pretty nervous to sing in front of the judge, but I was mostly excited because I’ve been working hard on learning my music,” Kendrick said. “‘I have been looking forward to this event since it’s first my year participating and I’m able to perform in Pflugerville for the state contest.”
According to choir director Aaron Bourgeois, students have been preparing since December with vocal lessons, getting advice that they wouldn’t be able to in the classroom. Students would also collaborate with their accompanist, the pianist who backs up the vocalist, perfecting and individualizing their songs.
”I think a lot of the time people love solo and ensemble competition because it is their chance to show off their abilities, their merit, and their talents as a musician and get that specifically evaluated,” Bourgeois said. “It’s not an award to your choir as it’s an award to you for doing well.”
Junior Isabel Kalyoncuoglu and Kendrick appreciate the judge’s advice they got after their performance. Both feel that the feedback given will help improve their performance for next time.
“The judge asked me what the most important word of my song was and to emphasize it,” Kalyoncuglu said. “So the judges always give you different live feedback to work on.”
Students were not allowed to have sheet music or lyrics to reference during their performance. This added an extra difficulty for students, especially for those who sang in languages other than English such as Latin, Italian, French, and German. Bourgeois emphasizes to his students the importance of not having an American draw and being as authentic to language during the song. As Bourgeois watches students compete in the UIL competition each year, he states that he has seen his students build confidence in their singing abilities because of this experience.
”Even in a choir setting, there are kids who aren’t comfortable with singing too loud and I get it; I think of singing as one of the most vulnerable forms of art,” said Bourgeois. “Because, unlike other instruments such as the piano or the trumpet, singing is a part of your genes, your body, and that is what’s making the noise.”
All 21 singers walked away with recognition for their talent. 3 received excellent ratings, 4 received superior ratings, and 14 qualified for the state contest in May. Kendrick and the other qualifiers will now take their feedback and plan for their next performance; competing with choir students all over the state of Texas.
“I always tell kids any performance opportunity, any chance you get to sing alone, any audition, even if it is a long shot, the experience makes it better,” Bourgeois said.
