The South Carolina American Choral Directors Association recently held its annual fall conference at Southern Wesleyan University in Central, South Carolina, and a number of Aiken County students performed as members of SCACDA Honor Choirs.
The Honor Choirs provide elementary, middle, and high school choral singers with performance opportunities of the highest caliber. Participants are selected using a "blind" audition process, which includes the singing of a prepared piece and major scales. Selected students then prepare for a challenging performance with other top scorers from around the state. Students also receive instruction from top collegiate choral directors from around the country.
Students from North Augusta High School, South Aiken High School, Midland Valley High School and Leavelle-McCampbell Middle School represented Aiken County Public Schools at the conference.
“We had seven students perform with the SCACDA High School Honor Choir this year, and they thoroughly enjoyed their conductors and were eager to compare notes about the new techniques and ideas they gleaned from the conductors,” commented North Augusta High School Choral Director Christopher Leysath. “Our students were able to interact with other top singers from schools around the state, and one of our students, Thomas Catoe, was even selected to perform a solo at the conference’s final concert.”
Also representing North Augusta High were students Vyolet Courtney, Caroline Dodd, Alice Dyches, Matthew Tant, Sway Sasse, Mary Watts, Julia Williams, and Caroline Wilson. Students representing South Aiken High School and choral director Erik Potteiger included Hadyn Jackson, Andrew Melton, Elisabeth Rademacher, Jared Shuler, and Dillon Wilhoit. Students Wes Guyton and Carolina Visbisky represented Midland Valley High School and choral director Heather Drake.
Meanwhile, middle school students Avery Gray, Micah Littles, and Elizabeth Tice represented Leavelle-McCampbell Middle School and director of choral studies, Charla Coffin, as members of the SCACDA Middle School Honors Choir.
"The South Carolina American Choral Directors Association provides tremendous opportunities for singers to be selected for higher level music education performances, and for teachers to receive content-focused professional development,” Midland Valley High’s Heather Drake stated.
Congratulations to each of these students and choral directors upon earning such statewide honor and acclaim, and for representing Aiken County Public Schools with pride and distinction.
LINK TO DISTRICT PRESS RELEASE: 2017 PR AIKEN COUNTY HONOR CHOIR STUDENTS PERFORM AT SCACDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE