Watkins Mill High School juniors Christina Levine, Elisabeth Warren, Kwame Lawson-Gray, and senior Gabby Rivera auditioned for the Maryland All State Choir on Saturday November 19 at Urbana High School and were accepted. 

Around seven to eight students from WMHS applied and auditioned. The auditions took place in three different areas where they individually sang a number of pieces. 1,500 students registered from across Maryland and only 300 were accepted, including the four WMHS students. 

The performance is on February 4, and preparation for the performance starts on February 2. The students will stay at a hotel in Baltimore during that weekend to prepare. Participants must pay $340 for food and hotel expenses. Lawson-Gray is “looking forward to see how great the finished product is.” 

Warren hasn’t been able to audition for the choir for the past few years because of her conflicting schedule with dance. But this year, she “jumped for the opportunity” to take part in the choir this year because of the change of the performance date. “This is an opportunity of a lifetime,” Warren added. 

This is Levine’s third time in all-state. She is very excited and believes it’s a “good experience.” Though she was hesitant to apply freshman year, she is glad she did because she is able to work with people who “know how to sing very well.” 

Choir teacher Rodney Long is thrilled for the opportunity his students are receiving. He strongly encouraged all of his chamber choir students to audition. “I will help them, but I’m not going to teach them the music,” Long said. He believes all-state chorus is “a huge honor and [students] are expected to have the independent musician skills to prepare yourself.” 

Long believes his students will love the experience because all state was something he “always looked forward to” during his high school years. He plans to attend the performance to support his students and is “excited for them to experience high quality music.”

“You shouldn’t be afraid to try out because it’s a really rewarding experience,” Levine added.