Chorale members named to All State Choir

Published or Revised March 11, 2010

Ten members of the Paris Junior College Chorale were selected recently to the prestigious 2010 Texas Two-Year College All State Choir, according to Patricia Fowzer, PJC choral director. They include Lynsey Boss, Gloria Cooper, Alex Fowzer, Justin Frazier, Trent Little, Josh Mooneyham, Glenn Pruitt, Katie McCormack, Sattriona Nyachwaya, all of Paris, and Val Schmidt from Rivercrest. Fowzer, Frazier, Little, Mooneyham, Pruitt, Nyachwaya and Schmidt all made the choir for the second consecutive year. Several of these students have received acceptance and scholarship notifications from music schools in Texas and Oklahoma. Twenty-seven community colleges from across Texas brought students to the Texas Music Educators Convention in San Antonio to make up the 151-voice All State Choir. PJC is proud to have a record 10 singers in the choir again this year. The students spent 10 hours per day in rehearsal and performed to a large crowd in the San Antonio Convention Center on Saturday, Feb. 14. During the convention Mrs. Fowzer attended meetings of the Texas Two-Year College Choral Directors Association where she serves as Region III Representative. This year's All State Choir was conducted by Dr. Peter Bagby of the University of Connecticut, one of the leading nation's choral directors. "He imparted some very valuable musical expertise that these students will carry with them for the rest of their lives," said Mrs. Fowzer. "I have never seen community college students hang upon every word, story, and suggestion that this man shared, and the concert was the very best I have ever heard students in this age range present," she said. Paris Junior College also had a student in the Texas Two-Year College All State Symphonic Band. Elizabeth Silva, a former member of the Paris High School Band program, made the All State Band in the trumpet section. Elizabeth's achievement marks the second time in three years that a PJC student has made the All State Band. Dr. Gary Garner, retired director of bands from West Texas A&M University, directed the band concert. Chris Kornegay, PJC adjunct music instructor, is Silva's instructor. Paris Junior College music students will present spring concerts with the Chamber Singers performing on April 6, the Chorale concert on April 13, and the Encore Show, "Encore Evolution" April 30 through May 2. For more information, call PJC at 903-782-0343.