Posted Date: 01/25/2016
Deja Sikes and Jake Freelen, members of the Paris High School Chorale, will perform with the Texas All-State Large and Small School Choirs (respectively) in San Antonio, Saturday, February 13, 2016 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center as part of the 2016 Texas Music Educators Association Clinic/Convention. They were chosen for this prestigious honor through a competitive process held this year across the state at District, Region, and Area levels. Deja and Jake sing under the direction of Jan Blize who is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, a 12,000+ member organization headquartered in Austin. This is Deja’s second time and Jake’s first time to perform as a member of a TMEA All-State organization. Deja is the daughter of Kris Wilson and Billy Sikes and Jake is the son of Tina and Jesse Freelen.
Paris High School Choir has a rich tradition of students earning all-state choir berths (at least 60) and it is a tremendous accomplishment. Last year, Dylan Candelora and Deja Sikes made the inaugural All-State Small School Choir. Emily Hummel made the All-State Women’s Choir in 2009. Deja Sikes accomplishment this year makes her the first PHS student to make the top All State Choir since Jordan McKinney and Grant Taylor in 2008. PHS Choir Director, Jan Blize, is extremely proud of Jake and Deja and also of Quinn Dillard, who was only one chair away from making the Small School All State Choir. Blize is in hopes these recent accomplishments will spur more students to strive to continue Paris High’s rich tradition of musical achievements.
High school students selected to perform in the All-State concerts have competed through several levels of auditions beginning in the fall of 2015 to qualify at the state level. All-State is the highest honor a Texas music student can receive. Over 1,600 students are selected through a process that begins with over 64,000 students from around the state vying for this honor to perform in one of 15 ensembles (bands, orchestras, and choirs). Texas Music Educators Association sponsors the Texas All-State competition. This competitive process begins throughout the state in auditions hosted by 28 TMEA Regions. Individual musicians perform selected music for a panel of judges who rank each instrument or voice part. From this ranking, a select group of musicians advances from their Region to compete against musicians from other areas in seven TMEA Area competitions. The highest-ranking musicians judged at the TMEA Area competitions qualify to perform in a TMEA All-State music group. Only the top 3% of musicians who initially audition become All-State musicians.
All-State students participate in three days of rehearsals directed by nationally-recognized conductors during the TMEA Clinic/Convention. Their performances for thousands of attendees bring this extraordinary event to a close. For the All-State concert schedule and conductor information, go to the Performances section of www.tmea.org/convention.
Over 64,000 students enter the All-State competitive process; 860 are selected to perform with All-State Concert and Jazz Bands; 220 are selected to perform with All-State Orchestras; 616 are selected to perform with All-State Choirs. All-State performances will be held as part of the annual TMEA Clinic/Convention, Feb. 10–13, 2016. Over 26,000 people from Texas and beyond will attend over 315 workshops, 100 performances, and visit over 1,300 exhibit booths at this nation’s largest music educators convention.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.tmea.org/convention 903-737-7400 x2529
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