-Megan Roberts
On Wednesday, Jan. 15 a select group of students in the Hartselle High School Choir department, departed to Montgomery, Alabama for the AMEA Honor choir and for the All State show choir. The AMEA Honor choir and the All State show choir is a chorus selected and put together from different schools from all around the state of Alabama. The students all come together and practice a variety of songs to sing and perform at the concert put on the following weekend. The Honor choir left on Wednesday and came back on the following Friday night after their 7 p.m. concert, while the Show Choir left earlier the same Wednesday and arrived back home after their 9:15 a.m. performance on Saturday.
These few days were jam-packed with hours of practicing singing and possibly dancing. The AMEA Honor choir was taught and directed by conductor, Dr. Gary Packwood. The Honor Choir performed at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Convention Center. The members sang a selection of songs such as “Shojojee” by B.Wayne Bisbee, “Walk in Jerusalem” by Rollo A. Dilworth, and “Dreams of Thee” by Eric William Barnum along with other pieces. The next day, the All State Show choir sang and danced to these selected pieces: “Fantasy” by Earth Wind and Fire, “Cover is Not the Book” from the movie Mary Poppins Returns, and “Raise You Up/Just Be” from the Broadway show Kinky Boots to name a few!
Kate Dupuis, the Hartselle High School Chorus Director, first started teaching at Hartselle City Schools in the summer of 2012 and has been teaching in Hartselle ever since. Dupuis has been attending the AMEA Honor Choir and the All State Choir for years with her selected group and has continued to attend both of these events with her students.
Retired Hartselle High School choral director, Wanda Thompson, was presented an award at the event by the Alabama Music Educators’ Association for her 50 years of service to the choir community. This was a huge honor. She continues to teach choir during the summer at Camp Artselle.
AMEA Honor Choir and All State is both a learning experience and a fun event for an abundance of chorus students and directors all around the state! This event allows students to learn and experience different techniques and relationships to grow their love for choir. In the words of Kate Dupuis, “Join Chorus!” and see what the fun is about!
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