On Thursday, March 2, selected singers from all over South Carolina came together for a long weekend of lengthy and tedious practices at All-State Chorus. Three of those students are from Chapman High School. Seniors Lindsey Burrell and Cameron Poole and junior Maddie Mayfield were all accepted into All-State Chorus this year.

“When I found out I had made it into All-State I didn’t really comprehend what Ms. Rostron had had just told me,” Mayfield said. “I was so humbled and excited (because) one of my biggest high school goals had been achieved.”  

However, along with being accepted comes hard work and great responsibility.

“The rehearsals for All-State are long and hard,” Burrell said. “The short time we’re there we practice almost 14 hours, and the directors expect your all every hour of practice.”

This is Burrell’s third year getting accepted into All-State Chorus.

“The audition process isn’t easy,” Burrell said. “You audition in a group of five, one person for each voice part, and then sight read — just you, your judge, 45 seconds to practice four measures of music and then trying your best to sing the line perfectly.”

Chapman chorus teacher Rebecca Rostron says that she does everything in her power to get her students auditioning prepared to audition.

“I introduce the song to them the spring before they audition, we practice sight reading nearly every day, and as it gets closer to time, they’re asked to sing in front of their peers.” Rostron says.

Mayfield says that nerves begin to rise as audition times get closer but it’s all worth it.

“I had to make sure every rehearsal counted so that I could just feel the music more so than trying to read it off the page,” Mayfield said. “At the auditions I had to pray continually that the Lord’s will be done in all things.”

Burrell and Mayfield both agree; there is a significant difference between Chapman rehearsals and All-State rehearsals.

“There are more competitive singers,” Burrell said. “Most of the people at All-State are your future music majors.The practices are long and focused, but since there’s such a short amount of time it’s draining.”

Although Burrell and Mayfield agree All-State is more focused than here at Chapman, they also agree that they owe it to Rostron for her dedication to them.

“All of her hard work here is what helps us prepare and be successful at All-State, we’re extremely blessed to have her,” Burrell said.