Who can Audition? Who is required to audition?

Everyone who is enrolled in Clements Choir is eligible and encouraged to audition. Students must remain academically eligible throughout the process per TMEA. Students in Concert Chorale (5th period) are expected to audition and students in Chamber are required to audition. Students must attend a district mock audition to be entered into the process.

I Don’t want to be a music major. Why should I do this?

The All-State Process is very difficult. The music is challenging and assesses on an individual level. Students must develop objectivity, assess and identify areas of weakness and make a plan for growth. Students are put in high pressure audition environments and learn to face and overcome their insecurities. Students learn to apply feedback from multiple sources and also must develop their own sense of self. If students fully commit to this process, their voice will develop more quickly than the average choir student.

If students earn a spot in the All-State Choir, they will attend the TMEA conventions and will attend the TMEA College Night where they have access to college recruitment representatives from all over the country. Many Texas universities offer additional scholarships for All-State musicians to be a part of their music ensembles, even if a student doesn’t major in music. It is a high honor to earn a spot in the All-State choir, as it is a designation only earned by 2.9% of high school musicians in the state.

Why should I audition as a FRESHMAN/Sophomore instead of waiting until I’m an upperclassmen?

It is true that students more typically qualify as juniors and seniors for the All-State Choir, it is not required. In 2024, we had 3 sophomores qualify! All of these students auditioned first as freshmen. Understanding and overcoming the audition process is adjacent but separate skill set to preparing the music. Very skilled musicians have failed because this audition process is specific and different from any other musical assessment. It is vital for students to experience the auditions as soon as possible to build their audition skill set.

How does the actual audition work?

The audition is double blind- the student sings behind a curtain and the judges only know the audition ID number. Students will only sing one minute of each piece and audition cuts are announced at the beginning of the audition. Judges are assessing accuracy, tone, and musical details like consonants, dynamics, phrasing and word stress.

What are each of the Rounds?

District- Late September

• This round takes the top 36 sopranos and altos and about the top 24 tenors and basses.

Region- Late October

• The top 15 earn a spot in the region mixed choir and they advance to Pre-Area. The next 21 sopranos and altos earn a spot in the region treble choir. The next 9 tenors and basses earn a spot in the region tenor bass choir.

(Experience) Region Choir- Early November

• This is for the students who advance to the region audition as well as a trio of tenors and basses who auditioned but were cut. We hire teacher-conductors from around the nation to bring an amazing concert together.

Pre-Area- Late November

• This audition adds a sight reading component. Each voice part has 15 students who compete for 5 spots. This is the lowest number of students taken at an audition so it is statistically the most difficult.

Area- Early January

• This audition adds 3 other regions to the competitors. 20 students come together to compete for the top 9 (tenor bass) or top 11 (soprano alto) spots in the all-state choir.

(Experience) All-State Convention- Mid-February

• Students work with world-famous conductor-teachers to prepare a concert on Saturday of the convection. This always takes place in San Antonio

Check the annual calendar for dates.