Contact: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Wednesday, January 20, 2010

More than 1,200 students across the state vied for spots in the Kentucky Music Educators Association’s all-state choirs, and Lafayette High had the highest number selected from a single school with 100 percent acceptance.

Once the top 560 students were chosen, they were assigned to one of three choruses – a mixed group of men and women, a women’s choir and a men’s choir. Internationally recognized conductors will lead them in performances Feb. 5 at the Kentucky Center for the Arts in Louisville during the KMEA state conference.  

In the fall, students in grades 10-12 auditioned for judges at KMEA district sites in quartets – all performing the same piece a cappella; they also had to sight-sing. Only 15 percent of a school’s choral enrollment is allowed to audition, so many schools held preliminary tryouts.  The Lexington-area district of KMEA had the most students auditioning, making all-state all the more competitive.  

Congratulations to these Fayette County Public School students chosen for all-state choirs.

From Bryan Station High, directed by Kristine Lyon: Joseph Hamilton and Andrew Singleton.

From Henry Clay High, directed by Barry Turner: Kayla Shao and Chelsea Burke.

From Lafayette High, directed by Ryan Marsh and Laura Howard: Katherine Bennett, Emma Jackson, Jami Hart, Gabrielle Barker, Sydney Steele, Kailey Marshall, Elizabeth Critchfield, Hannah Johnson, Alaina Broderson, Ellie Todd, Amie Huesman, Ellie Osborne, Haley Goode, Elliott Mattox, Jimmy Betts, Tomer Eres, Andrew Miller, Alek Scott, Luke Hanson, Taylor Begley, Will Baldwin, Travis Daley, Caelan Daniel, Tyler Dickinson, Wood Van Meter, Micah Miller and Neil Horsley.

From Paul Laurence Dunbar High, directed by Ellen Crawford: Susan Creech, Laura Salyer, Abbie Hymas, Nicole Schladt, Anna Kiluba, Sarah Goad, Victoria Vasquez, Jasher Austin, Quinn Williams, Bill Davis, David Agtarap, Sam Jones, Wilson Shirley and Grant McDaniel.

For more information, e-mail Lafayette’s Ryan Marsh, the state choral chair for the Kentucky Music Educators Association.