Sweet Success for PHS Choir Students

Posted Date: 02/09/2018

by JAN BLIZE
PHS Choir Director

Friday, February 2nd, proved to be a very successful day for 34 Paris High School choir students.  Seven earned an “excellent” rating for their solo performance at UIL Solo & Ensemble Contest in Mt. Pleasant, and the remaining 27 students earned 6 bronze medals (entry level); 4 silver medals (intermediate level); and 17 gold medals (advanced level) for “superior” ratings on their vocal solos.  Rhea Tabora earned an additional gold medal for her “superior” piano solo.  Rhea, along with the other 16 students whose names appear in bold print, qualified to advance to UIL State S&E Contest in Pflugerville on Memorial Day weekend. Medal winners are listed left to right.

Front Row: Jessica Ibarra, Averi McFadden, Christiana Swindle, Skyler Bryan, Ashjwanae Mickens, Ben Ruthart, Jared Posey, Molly Law, Ariana Epperson, Yessica Ramirez, Nicholas Reed, Sarah Starkey, Brian Wright, T.J. Spence, Elizabeth Frazier

Back Row: Quin Dangerfield, Jake Freelen, Nick Leija II, Rhea Tabora, Bella Garrard, Javian Dabbs, Abagail Lawson, Morgan Dudley-Pullins, Rowan Burns, Angela Ramirez, Kayanna Washington, and Daniela Ortega-Luna.

PHS choir students were prepped and accompanied by accompanist Dottie Billman, PJH Choir Director/PHS Assistant Melody Logan, and PHS Choir Director Jan Blize.

Ms. Blize always tries to teach her students that our performances should entertain, educate, and/or inspire our audiences.  It’s way too easy for students to lose that vision and get wrapped up in the rating when they are preparing a solo to be performed in front of one judge.  While medals earned at Friday’s contest are definitely a symbol of success, the “icing on the cake” was when we joined together for an impromptu 4-part a cappella rendition of “Happy Birthday” that we performed for a complete stranger at our lunch at Two Senoritas following our contest. The recipient of our gift of song, known to us only as “Hollie,” was so moved by our performance that she gave us the remainder of her birthday cake.  That’s what I like to call, “sweet success.” 

Click here to view news release.