In early January, CLHS proudly sent six of its Center for the Arts students to Tampa as members of the Florida Music Education Association’s (FMEA) All-State Ensembles.
To qualify for All-State, aspiring young musicians must demonstrate high levels of musical ability by undergoing several rounds of examinations on subjects such as musicianship, theory knowledge, sight reading, and performance quality, while also maintaining good academic standing and other requirements. Although there was fierce competition for spots in the ensembles from students all across Florida, all three of Cypress’ music departments sent at least one member to perform at the convention.
Senior Jameson Moore, in addition to earning a spot in the All-State Jazz Band, played a piano solo for a crowd of thousands during one of the group’s pieces. The vocal program had the largest number of selected members, with freshman Lorian Moore and senior Ashley Perez-Marquez singing in the Concert Chorus, and seniors Nik Bakos and Nikita Danesh performing in the Tenor-Bass and Soprano-Alto choirs respectively. Senior Arco Williams also received the honor of playing in the All-State Orchestra, representing the strings of Cypress Lake.
Attending the convention provided the students with many opportunities to expand their musical horizons. These included the chance to work with world-renowned directors, and to explore hundreds of various exhibits for connecting with college music programs and other music-related organizations. The CLHS music teachers were also present at the convention, enhancing their own work in designated events for music educators.
Participating in All-State can be an incomparable and rewarding experience for all who are involved. For those musicians looking to push themselves to greater heights and gain an all-around deeper understanding for the art of music, look out for details on next year’s auditions to share Cypress’ talents and be a part of this valuable opportunity.
