Music connects us all; whether it’s going to a concert, listening to music on your drive to school, or just singing in the shower. And while not all of us are able to sing like Whitney Houston, though we all wish we could, our school has a handful of students who have undeniable talent when it comes to the vocal cords. These students use their time and skills to prepare for the yearly All-State competition. This tournament is an honorable event for the top 7th-12th grade chorus students in Georgia who are selected through a rigorous, two-round statewide audition process. In the end, the students chosen gather and rehearse for a weekend before finally performing at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia. 

Our chosen chorus students have worked tirelessly to perform with esteemed guest conductors and other gifted students from all over the state. From vocal exercises to even physical exercise, our students do all they can to make sure that they are prepared for the challenges that await them behind the curtain. And here to answer the behind-the-scenes questions buzzing in your mind: Layne Esworthy, Caris Roth 

Interview Q/A: 

Q/ What made you want to join the chorus/ try out for All State? 

A/ 

Layne: “My mommy and my sister because they inspire me to sing. Because they sing all the time. Don’t get me wrong, it annoys the crap out of me, but yeah, I’m inspired.” 

Caris: “It was definitely because of the middle school and the chorus program. And how she (Mrs. Williams) was so good at teaching, and she never made All-State a really big thing. Well, she made it a big thing, but she didn’t say like, you know, ‘just because you didn’t make it means it’s the end of the world,’ but it’s also, you know, just a really great opportunity to refine your skills, but also go and have fun with people who want to do chorus just as much as you do.” 

Q/ What kind of things do you do to prepare? 

A/ 

Layne: “I did not eat that entire morning before the audition. I was on vocal rest. I practiced maybe three or four times, and then I went in. I did my thing. And it was worth it.” 

Caris: “I really had to focus on sight reading because that’s like the big it factor of it because you never know what you’re going to get. Just like refining a solo and just working really hard on you know being very specific with my solo.” 

Q/ Were you nervous when you auditioned for All-State? 

A/ 

Layne: “Duh, hahaha. Who’s not nervous? It’s literally All State. It’s all the city, all of Bartow, all of the state. It would be worse if it were the whole country.” 

Caris: “yeah I felt like I was going to throw up, but you know, once you get in there, it’s still kind of nerve-racking, but the best part is coming out and knowing that you just got it over with.” 

Q/ How was the whole process of auditioning? 

A/ 

Layne: “I did sight reading. That was easy, so I got a perfect score on all of that. It’s pretty easy if you’re a ninth or tenth grader. I did my scales; I wanted to do them in solfege, but Mrs. Williams was like, ‘No, do them in numbers, ’ haha. I did my solo, and I did pretty badly on that, but I somehow still got in, so 

Caris: “I mean, it was pretty easy; Mrs. Williams really talked about and was very specific about the audition process, and she made sure you knew what you were going in for, what you were doing. And her being a judge really helped us know what to expect because she would judge us like she would judge everyone else, and she was just really helpful with that, which made the process really.” 

Q/ What advice would you give to students who want to audition for All State or just join the chorus in general? 

A/ 

Layne: “Drink a lot of water because water is going to be your best friend. And there’s something called vocal rest. So, get some water in ya, maybe warm up in your car, and just breathe and relax.” 

Caris: “I would say probably don’t focus on the things that will make you nervous because there’s always going to be someone there to help you, especially with All State. It might seem really nerve-racking, but once you just kind of get it over with, it’s a really good reward even if you don’t make it. It’s really great to know that you tried out and you did the hard part of the chorus. Which not a lot of people can do. And just work really hard.”