As he arranges his music and gets comfortable, senior Bryce Macy remembers the long hours of work over the past few months. With the curtain up and a nod to the helper the music begins and he opens his mouth to sing.

“Music is my life,” Macy said. “It’s what I want to do for a living.”

For the first time in three years, choir members Jasmyn Piepgrass and Macy advanced to All-State Round Three on Nov. 23 at the Mansfield ISD Center for Performing Arts.

“I try not to make a big deal out of it,” Piepgrass said. “I’m waiting to make it through before I celebrate.”
For Macy, repetition is the strategy of choice.

“(I) play the songs over and over into my headphones and get as many rehearsals in as possible,” Macy said. “That’s really all I can do.”

The All-State musical pieces include foreign languages.

“I don’t even know what I’m singing 90 percent of the time,” Macy said. “I’m just making sure I do it right.”

According to Choir Director Josi Alexander, because Texas has a reputation for having one of the best All-State Choirs the pieces are a little over-reaching to maintain that status.

“The music this year is overly difficult,” Alexander said. “It is beyond college level.”

Singing correctly, musicianship and clarity are part of the checklist in All-State auditions that she, as a judge, looks for.

“I am (like) Simon Cowell,” Alexander said.

Once in the audition room, Macy said he can’t help but feel nervous.

“Mentally I’m fine but my body gets a little jittery,” he said.

According to Alexander, Piepgrass and Macy have improved by leaps and bounds.

“Jasmyn’s strength is her preparedness and Bryce’s strength is his overall tone quality,” she said.

The teacher has been working on pitches and notes, getting the style of the piece and vowel production with the students.

“A lot of my progress is done on my own time or with Mrs. A,” Macy said. “Mrs. A has been the real help.”

Compared to the All-State competition last year, Piepgrass said there has been a boost in her self-esteem.

“My confidence has built since then,” she said. “This year I’m more independent.”

As a senior, Macy said he takes All-State a little more seriously compared to prior years.

“I want to get things done,” Macy said. “The competition to me in itself is more important.”

According to Piepgrass, her experience with All-State has made other things in music appear easier.

“Once you’ve overcome that challenge, everything else seems so small,” she said. “Overall, it’s a great feeling.”