The choir program competed at UIL Concert and Sight Reading last week with four different groups. Junior Varsity Treble Chorale and Varsity Treble performed Wednesday, April 4, Varsity Tenor/Bass Chorale performed Thursday, April 5, and Varsity Mixed performed Friday, April 6 at Frisco Heritage High School. The results are listed below:

Junior Varsity Treble Chorale – 1 (superior) on stage; 2 (excellent) in sight reading
Varisty Treble – 1 (superior) on stage; 1 (superior) in sight reading
Varsity Tenor/Bass Chorale – 3 (good) on stage; 3 (good) in sight reading
Varsity Mixed – 2 (excellent) on stage; 2 (excellent) in sight reading

In preparation for UIL competition, choir held a pre-UIL concert on Tuesday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m.

In the past, UIL pieces have been presented in front of a public audience in the auditorium, but to make it more like the actual event, judges were invited.

“While this event was still open to the public, we also invited guest judges to listen to us, critique us and clinic us,” head choir instructor, Aaron Tombrella, said. “In addition, we set up the choir room as a ‘sight-reading room,’ and ran it in a similar fashion to the contest,”

UIL choir competitions have a set format.

“During pre-UIL, we sing three prepared pieces for a panel of judges, then immediately do a sight-reading example in the same fashion as the contest,” Tombrella said. “With that, we have six minutes to study a piece of music that none of us have ever seen. We then sing it for the first time. After we have two minutes to talk about any corrections and considerations, and we sing it again. During the 6- and 2-minute time periods, we cannot sing at all.”

There is a score for both the stage and sight reading performances. The scoring is: 1 – Superior, 2 – Excellent, 3 – Good, 4 – Average, 5 – Poor.

“All of the scoring is based on the performers recreating what is written in the music,” Tombrella said. “At a very basic level, if that happens, then they will receive a three. If the performers do a little bit more than what is written on the music, like shape musical phrases, improve diction, etc., then a score of a two is generally given. If the performers go above and beyond while performing, as well as have a mature sound, then they can receive a score of one. This pertains to the stage performance and the sight-reading,”

The Pre-UIL concert gives the choirs a realistic run-through of UIL competition.

“A pre-UIL concert is like a scrimmage,” Tombrella said. “It gives us an opportunity to perform the contest in a similar fashion as it would be performed at the actual contest. Just like a scrimmage, this practice run gives us an opportunity to know where we shine and where we need improvement.”

After each choir completed their stage performance, whatever time was left in the 20 minute stage time increment was utilized as a clinic. Clorese Porter, a guest judge for the event, used those last few minutes to critique and improve each piece she heard.

The judge gives feedback to the choir before the actual competition.

“Her comments and insight have proven to be most valuable to us and helped us refocus for this final week prior to the contest,” Tombrella said.