Singing his way to All-State

Junior Arjun Shah wins All State

Musical title to make his way to a statewide performance.

ByMaryum Shaik and Maya Barakat

As Arjun stands on the stage, catching his breath after his performance, instantly he is reminded why he does this. His performance only increases his dedication and passion for the art. He reminds himself that this score is only a small part of his journey, and he can’t wait to perform again.

Arjun Shah, a junior, was recently named an All State Musician for Choir and is performing in the All State Musical.

To be awarded the title of All State Musician, students from Chicago and nearby prepare and practice five separate choral selections. They then submit a virtual application and go on to perform in the ILMEA district choir. Out of the participants, the top 5% are selected to perform in the All-State Choir along with hundreds of other singers from all over the state. The performance is scheduled to take place between Jan. 9 and Jan. 13 at Downers Grove

South High School.

“I was beyond excited to start the almost 6 month long journey ahead of me and take on an experience I had never come close to having before,” Shah said.

Shah receives a lot of support from his teachers and said he believes it led to his success.

“I know a lot of people who do theater all over and so many of my teachers have been encouraging this opportunity for me. I had help from the drama teachers here in submitting my application,” Shah said.

Central choir teacher Jennifer Burkemper describes why she believes Shah has been able to achieve this award, commenting on his natural ability and the work he puts into this skill.

“Arjun is a tenor and has a clear, resonant voice. He sings musically and reads well and those are the skills of a state singer,” Burkemper said.“Talent and practice are the combination for state singers and musicians in general.”

Shah spends several hours each weekend preparing for his upcoming performance.

“[My teacher and I] do about 30-35 hours of rehearsal one weekend a month,” Shah said.

Ritvi Khurana, a singer in the Women’s Chorale and a friend of Shah, also witnesses Shah’s hard work and praises his dedication and talent.

“He’s extremely talented and has a great tone. He also always hits the notes right on pitch and can sing extremely high, which is probably why he was picked for All-State and for All-State theater,” Khurana said. “He is a very hard worker and I know he’s in a lot of activities involving music and theater all while making it look effortless.”

Although he received this significant award, Shah continues to further pursue his musical career and has much to look forward to in the future.

“I look forward to continuing my relationships with the countless talented actors and being able to continue this for the rest of my life,” Shah said.

When it comes to anyone who is thinking about singing, acting or just doing something they love, Shah encourages resilience. He warns of the hard path a passion may take you on, but reiterates how rewarding it is in the end.

“Go for it. There will be rejection, there will be failure, but it will all be worth it in the end because you’re doing something you love every day and working hard for it,” Shah said.