High school and junior high school choir members from Marietta Public Schools traveled to Durant for the OSSAA District Choir Competition, held on the campus of Southeastern Oklahoma State University on Saturday, February 18.
Marietta Show Choir members in different combinations entered 11 ensembles in the contest. Six of those groups received superior ratings and qualified for state. Those members are Lexi Motes, Abygail Barrientos, Josie Dobbins, Nicole Stewart, Tanasia Randle, Angel Follis, Colours Starsick, Mackenzie Kyle, Rebekah Alberda, Isabel Lopez, Eva Bucher, Zippora Hill, Melanie Ortiz, Alexis Creasman, Hector Maldonado, Haylen Lowery, and Ace Austin.
Of the 18 high school solos entered in the contest, 12 received superior ratings, qualifying for state. They were Melanie Ortiz, Tanasia Randle, Mackenzie Kyle, Angel Follis, Colours Starsick, Hector Maldonado, Lexi Motes, Abygail Barrientos, Alexis Creasman, Kaylen Lowrey, Rebekah Alberda, and Eva Bucher.
Isabel Lopez, Ace Austin, Mina Hughes, Zippora Hill, Josie Dobbins, and Nicole Stewart received excellent ratings.
While junior high students do not advance to state competition, they do compete in the district contest.
Junior high ensemble members Delaney Aust, Keavie Gray, Claire McGehee, Benito Maldonado, Kamarah Bertrand, Cynthia Lopez, Ciara Clifton and Leah Barber received a superior rating.
Three junior high soloists, Claire McGehee, Kamarah Bertrand, and Benito Maldonado, received superior ratings, while Delaney Aust and Cynthia Lopez received excellent ratings on their solo performances.
“I am so proud of the hard work of my choir students,” said Choral Music Director Courteney Starsick. “It takes hours of practice and dedication to achieve their music goals. I look forward to seeing our high school students compete at state and the junior high students continue to improve in the future.”
The state competition will be held April 20 and 21 on the campus of Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee.