16 Matherville Intermediate students earn spot in the Elementary All-State Choir
“More kids made All-State Choir than we’ve ever had,” said Music teacher, Christina Pagett. She said there are typically 7-8 kids who earn a spot.
She explained the process, “After an audition with me (singing a verse of a song of their choice, rhythmic sight reading, and singing the major scale), I had to rank the students in 5th grade separately from 6th grade.
Those scores were sent to the state and they got to select who is allowed to be in the group. Numbers are determined by school size, number of nominations, and what percentage of a school is allowed to make a certain percentage of the state choir.”
5th: Henry Ahrens, Madison Brose, Claire Curry, Ainsley Groth, Eliza Gustafson, Lennon Harris, Paige Hollins, Alaina Volkert (not pictured, Henry Ahrens and Ainsley Groth)
John Tucker, won third place for junior level ‘Remix’ for his digital composition at the ILMEA State competition.
Tucker was also the overall winner with his composition for Matherville Intermediate’s ‘Soundation” competition.
Music teacher Christina Pagett explained the process of submitting his work for consideration at the state level, “He had to use samples given from another composer and remix them and try to come up with a composition that was at least over a minute long and less than five. Looking at all of the schools that we’re placing, so many were Chicago based schools, it was really cool to see our little school on the map,” she said.
Hopefully kids will get more competitive in that category. It’s the start of something, I think, for us,” said Pagett.
