The Bulldog singers auditioned for the first round of their 2022 All-Region competition on Tuesday, September 27th. Twenty-nine students will be advancing to the next round on Saturday, October 15 at Little Elm High School.

Six sopranos, six altos, eight tenors, and nine basses qualified in the district round, setting a new record for the choir. One of the choir directors, Rachel Gillespie, exclaims, “This is the best year MNHS has had!”

Advancing in the All-Region competition requires hours of practice. Students are given excerpts of songs to prepare for the auditions. They must be dedicated to learning the music, studying it outside of class and often with private teachers.

Choir director Christopher Ahrens says they “are very impressed with the results from our district round of auditions” and that “it is truly a testament to all of [the students’] hard work and preparation.”

Even with preparation, competitions can be nerve-wracking.

Junior Johnathan Vo, a tenor who made it through district round, shared his experience: “Man, I was so calm until I stepped foot into that room, but I pushed through and made 9th chair.” Others were more confident going into the competition. Junior Corben Steigelmeyer, a bass 1, shared, “To be honest, I knew I was gonna make it, so I wasn’t worried.”

Advancing in All-Region is an impressive feat. Students from many schools compete to impress the judges. MNHS choir students went up against students from TMEA Region 24, which includes Frisco, Plano, and Little Elm ISDs.

Senior Darby Tippit, an alto, says, “I am so proud of everyone who made it through district and the work they put in. I know they’re going to show the same or even more effort through region!!”

With districts finished, our McKinney North choir is ready to tackle the next challenge on October 15th in Little Elm. We will all be wishing them the best in making it to the next level.

Yaseen Barry