A handful of talented Union City High School students will blend their voices with others across the area as part of the 2021 West Tennessee Honors Choir, according to a news release from Union City Schools.
Alyssa Fields, Tai’Zhan Fuller, Noemi Ventura, Gracie Mobbs and Meagan Burney were all chosen after successful virtual auditions for the prestigious group.
The All-West choir is comprised of students from all across West Tennessee (excluding Shelby County). Approximately 350 students auditioned for spots this year.
Auditions were recorded virtually rather than in-person this year and submitted to judges for their approval due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Fields was selected to the elite collection for an unprecedented sixth straight year. She’ll receive a trophy to commemorate the accomplishment after being chosen as the fourth chair soprano.
Fuller was included for the second straight year, picked as the sixth chair tenor.
The rest of the UCHS contingent are first-timers, with Ventura making it as the 19th chair soprano, Mobbs a third chair soprano and Burney a 17th chair alto.
Collectively, the group detailed the challenges of both practicing and auditioning during the COVID-19 era. Individually, they talked of the nuances of how to warm up, battling “cracking” voices and dry throats, and familiarizing themselves with selected music as hurdles the group easily cleared.
The five UCHS students and the remainder of the WTHC will both rehearse and perform May 7-8 in Jackson.