Junior Rickie Branson became one of the few WHS students to ever be selected as an alternate to the All State Choir after auditions on Oct. 11.

Branson is one of six Warsaw students to make the choir in the last 10 years.

“I was mildly surprised, and then the excitement set it. It really set in after the meeting,” Branson said.

Director Charlene Million said the selection to the choir is such an honor because, “only six people are chosen for each section of the choir out of everyone in the whole west central Missouri district.”

For auditions, students were judged on the song they sang at both district choir, and all state choir tryouts, along with their sight reading. For All District Choir, Branson sang “Vittoria, Vittoria,” and for All State Choir tryouts Branson sang the soprano part of Viadani’s “Exultate Justi” at the same time a recording of the alto, tenor, and bass parts were all being sung.

Along with Branson, twelve other vocalists from Warsaw performed with the District Choir, including seniors Melissa Pierce, Jordan Johnson, Amanda Daffron, and Jessecah Jennings; juniors Connor Wood, Lydia Schockmann, Maddy McMillin, Keyona Davis, Shyla Estes, Jazmine Holbert, and Stephanie Fisher. The District Women’s Choir member was senior Krystina Hensley.

Students were judged using a point system and blind judging, their scores were determined off of their song they sang for tryouts and their sight reading abilities. Auditions were on Sept. 11.

“Tryouts were hectic. I really wanted to make it and everything was at a fast pace,” said Junior Lydia Schockmann.