Abbie King, a senior at Olathe North, joined Chorale in her last year of high school and got the opportunity to compete in ECKMEA. King was part of choir in both elementary and middle school. She went into band her freshman year and continues to participate. She had missed the passion and fun of choir and decided to join her senior year. After hearing about ECKMEA in choir, she gained the confidence she missed in band and decided to compete.
“Auditioning in ECKMEA for choir felt much more approachable, I gained my confidence from singing at church for years,” said King (12).
ECKMEA is a choir and band competition held in Kansas each year. Students will travel to Gardner Edgerton High School to showcase their abilities in the first audition, next if a student is accepted they will move on to districts, then state. Around thirteen to twenty students will be granted a place in districts.
Districts this year were held at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School and high school students from all over Kansas arrived at 9 am. The choirs were broken up into mixed choirs and treble choirs where they will have the opportunity to rehearse their auditions with peers until around lunchtime. Around 1 pm, choirs will split up again and begin their auditions individually.
“I was very nervous for my audition even after rehearsing multiple times beforehand. But being able to work with others and get feedback boosted my confidence,” said Hayden Trullinger (11) from Olathe East.
Within this event, there are multiple stages to get through. Students will start with their first audition to get into districts, then if they make it, they go into audition for state and nationals.
“You are rated out of eight stars for both the singing and sight reading. State will begin in February if you make it. Sight reading is always the hardest part of every audition,” said Kenyth Carlos (12).
Students have unique ways of preparing and studying for auditions. Most fine art competitions contain a singing/playing audition along with sight reading. To students, this can be hard and they need the most amount of time they need.
“I listened to the recording of my song at least twelve times a day and then would rehearse on the piano. At night, when I would be studying for other classes, I would also work on my sight reading,” said Ainslee Magee (12).
With busy schedules or lack of motivation, students find themselves waiting till the last minute. Some may not prepare at all, they may cram the night before or morning of.
“I play multiple sports and I have many siblings I take care of each night. I did not prepare well for my audition, I got up at 6 am the day of and read my notes,” said Ben Stone II (12).
As high school students live through their high school careers and even through college, they do things that prepare them for success and what reaches them to their goals and passions. ECKMEA is an event that sets up students for the future and is a way to further their careers in the music industry.
“I really enjoy ECKMEA and will continue to use my experiences in future auditions. This event finds ways to boost my confidence more each year,” said Tyson Giles (12) from Olathe South.
