Judges to Dragon Choir: "Absolutely Stunning!"

Members of the Carroll Senior High School Choir are celebrating a big win this past week. On Wednesday, April 17 three of the four competing Carroll Choir groups received Sweepstakes at the Texas UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Contest for Region 24. The competition was held at Flower Mound High School in Lewisville ISD.

Since January, approximately 180 Carroll Choir students have been rehearsing. The Varsity Chorale performed “Tu Pauperum refugium” by Josquin des Pres, “With a Voice of Singing” by Kenneth Jennings, and “O Nata Lux” by Morten Lauridsen. Immediately following their stage performance, the choirs were directed to another room to perform sight-reading. In this process, students are given a piece of music to study for six minutes, without singing. At the end of the time period, students are required to sign the piece, with all parts, for three judges. Three of Carroll’s ensembles received top scores from the sight-reading room.

Carroll Choir Director Marla Ringel said the students performances prompted the judges to introduce themselves to students during the break, and congratulate them on their performance.

Some of the judge’s remarks included:

“This (performance) was absolutely stunning!”- D. McMahan

“Choir. Wow!!! Great things happending here.  So good to see this group.” -R. Wright

“Superb! Excellent reading.  You are smart, smart girls and you sing very well.  You are going to be part of something special at CHS. Congratulations!”- R. Talley

Ringel said, “This year has been an absolute pleasure.  I look forward to working with these fine young students every day.  The highlight of this contest season came while we were listening to Chorale’s recordings from their stage performance.  It was amazing to see the pride on their faces as they realized what they had accomplished together.”

The next Dragon Choir performance will be Thursday, May 23 for the student’s Spring Choir Concert. The pop show will be at the Carroll Senior High School auditorium from 6- 8:30 p.m. Students will continue their competition schedule May 24-25 at the Texas State Solo and Ensemble in Austin.

For additional information about the program visit www.dragonchoir.net.