Entertainment

Students in choir win TMEA All-State

Bowie choir members share their journey preparing and experiencing the 2022 AllState competition

Sydney Crum Dispatch Reporter

Sophomore Ashira Fronk and Finn Alexander felt their hands clamming up. They had been preparing for months. It was finally time to step on the stage and preform. Twenty minutes later, results were out. They had both received fourth chair for the TMEA All-State choir.

TMEA All-State choir is a yearly event in which choir students around the city go through three rounds of audition. Then, the students found out if they were given a spot in the exclusive All-State choir.

“I’ve been preparing for this competition since the beginning of the school year, and I’m relieved it’s finally over,” Fronk said. “I was really proud of myself afterwards.”

Bowie choir teacher Aaron Bourgeois has prepared students for this competition since the very beginning of the school year. He has also encouraged his pupils to private vocal lessons outside of their normal class period, to increase their chances of doing well in the future.

“We met for about two to five hours a week to rehearse the audition songs,” Bourgeois said. “As we progressed I also organized individual lesson times with my students to work on the next round of audition music in a one-on-one setting.”

The All-State competition tests choir students’ skills in singing and sight-reading which eventually reveals whether they made it into the official All-State choir. Fronk describes her adrenaline filled experience during the process of auditioning.

“The day of the audition was crazy—I spilled hot tea from the concession stand all over myself right before I auditioned,” Fronk said. “But thankfully, the audition went really well. I didn’t make any mistakes while singing in the first portion, and in the second portion, I only made one rhythm mistake.”

Auditioning is a nerve wracking experience for everyone, and Alexander agrees that there is stress and anticipation leading up to the audition.

“I had some great friends with me, so it was less of a burden, but it was still very intimidating,” Alexander said. “Somehow the auditions themselves felt like less of a task than the waiting between them.”

After multiple rounds of auditions, the students who made it into All-State choir were finally announced. Fronk recalls the joy she felt after hearing the results.

“When my name was called out on the loudspeaker, I was filled with happiness and shock,” Fronk said. “It was probably one of the best moments of my life.”

Because there hasn’t been a Bowie student who has made it onto the All-State during Bourgeois’ time teaching here, this was an incredibly exciting and proud moment for him.

“In all honesty, learning that two of my choir students made All-State was a very emotional moment for me. I hadn’t had an all-stater before and these were my first ones,” Bourgeois said. “I started crying because I knew in that moment that the right things were done to prepare them for this.”

After many hours of preparation for the competition, Fronk feels that this experience has taught her a lot about her singing abilities.

“This experience showed me what I am capable of,” Fronk said. “I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do this, but it’s amazing knowing that I can.”

Bowie students create music

STRUMMING A TUNE: Sophomore Sharon Carson plays music on her guitar outside. Carson decided to pursue her interest in music, and that hobby has developed into a passion. PHOTO BY Audrey Hagan PRACTICING AT THE PARK: freshman Besa Carney plucks notes on her acoustic guitar. Carney has been playing guitar for over 11 years. PHOTO COURTESY OF Besa Carney

Sharon Carson plays guitar and finds her creative passion through a new hobby Besa Carney performs her art through multiple musical outlets and programs

Nicole Rooney Entertainment Editor

Sophomore Sharon Carson opens YouTube to learn more about things such as guitar chords and how to create a melody.

Carson has gone through many methods to figure out what works best for her. She creates music herself and is self-taught. For any musician there will be ups and downs, but because Carson didn’t have any previous training there have been more challenges when creating her music which has caused her to find many different resources.

“Youtube taught a few chords and songs,” Carson said. “When I first started learning guitar I had no idea how to play so when I went to YouTube. I started with easy songs and I just learned from there.”

There are many struggles that musicians face while creating music. Having to learn everything on her own is just one problem that Carson has faced and has helped he find ways to overcome challenges when making music.

“Finding an original melody. Writing decent lyrics that actually flow with the song,” Carson said.

Although there are struggles in creating music, it has many perks for Carson as she has been able to learn new things and unlock new experiences.

“What I enjoy most about being able to create my own music is being able to express what I’m feeling whether recently or not,” Carson said. “I’m able to say things I can’t just come out and say to people.”

To Carson, making music is more than just strumming a guitar and singing. Carson uses it as an escape to release feelings and express herself.

“My music comes from my heart. It puts my feelings into words,” Carson said. “So I start to think about how I’m feeling, then I make a title and it all comes all at once. I try my best to get all on my notes app and I use voice memos to get down the melody and it all comes together.”

Creating music has allowed Carson to grow creatively. From her first-ever song to her most recent songs, Carson expressed how she has grown over the years.

“The first song I wrote was called ‘He’s a shopper.’ It was just a silly little piece I wrote because of how much my father would buy things when I was a child,” Carson said. “That song was solely just piano and random patterns I put together. The latest song I’ve done is ‘13’. I worked on that one for a few months because it was hard putting my feelings into words even though it was so simple in the end. That one I actually published and I’m excited to share more work.”

Along Carson’s journey with music, there have been a few things that inspire her and support her most.

“My family and close friends have been a huge part whenever it comes to my covers or my original music, but especially my father,” Carson said. “My father is actually the one who introduced me to a singer named “Birdy”. Although I’ve been singing ever since I could remember I knew once I heard her sing That’s what I wanted to do with my life. I was around eight years old at the time.”

Making music has allowed Carson to gain new experiences that only come with making music. Carson is collaborating with other students to make music as well and her independent pieces.

“Her most recent song releases are all her, but lately we have been working on some stuff together so look out for that when the time comes,” sophomore Zain Bukhari said, “She is good at making melodies and I’m good at writing lyrics. It’s a match made in heaven.”

Because Carson has been involved with music ever since she was young, she has a strong passion for it and takes it very seriously.

“I was so surprised, but proud of how she greets her music, she is very serious about music, learning the software that helps her record, learning instruments and her abilities, from remembering the words and being able to get up in front of the crowd and perform,” Sharon’s dad Chuck Carson said. “She follows her path, regardless of any obstacles that might try to slow her down.”

Many believe that Sharon has a natural talent with music, and she has decided to use this to her advantage in the future.

“I plan on continuing this to my best abilities,” Sharon said. “I do want to go to college and become an entertainment lawyer so I can still be in that field whether it be signing my own contracts or taking care of other artists.”

Creating music is a big part of Sharon’s life and she gets a lot of happiness out of it. Even since she was younger she has always loved it, creating a passion for her music.

“It brings me joy to see her start living the life she always wanted, but this is just the beginning,” Bukhari said.

Sharon happened to discover her interest for making music when she was young and always had a very supportive family.

“In closing I would like to say that when she started singing for us and making us sit in the living room while she created her little skits we had thought at the time that we hope she never loses that drive,” Chuck said. “As each year passes she just dedicated herself more for her music and we could be more proud of the woman she has become and we look forward to seeing her on the big stage someday soon.”

ART BY Isabella del Nido

Isabella Del Nido Arts & Graphics Editor

As she peers into the crowd, freshman Besa Carney ponders the next strum of her guitar.

On stage, she prepares herself as she perfectly places each finger feeling the strings, blinded by the spotlights, and the crowd anticipates her acoustic performance. For over 11 years, Carney has trained for this exact moment. Working with private music instructor Graham Reynolds for the past three years, Carney believes her skills have expanded and she has since become a more experienced performer. “I’ve been making music before I knew I could actually make music,” Carney said. “Working with Graham Reynolds has helped me to expand my music knowledge; Graham is a Grammy Award nominee and he has written for movies and soundtracks like the ‘Last Flag Flying,’ starring Steve Carell and ‘Where’d You Go Bernadette.’” Along with Reynolds, Carney facilitates her skills by practicing with multiple different advisors. Although she participates in the Bowie music programs, Carney leans towards more independent instruction. Pianist Roger Chenu, one of her instructors, owns his own piano studio dedicated to helping people of all ages hone their skills. “I have studied piano, theory, harmony, composition, choir and orchestra conducting and have been performer, composer, conductor, teacher and director of a National Music Conservatory near Paris, France,” Chenu said. “When we came to the states, I decided to open a piano studio; I have been doing group music classes for toddlers; young children, and private lessons for students and adults, and I teach music because I love it.” When it comes to teaching Carney, her instructors believe that having a positive relationship with students is as important as how often you practice with them. Chenu works with Carney just once a week but has been teaching her for the past 11 years. “The teaching changes with the age and the evolution of the student,” Chenu said. “Besa is a wonderful student, very gifted. She has music in her and I simply help her to discover it, through music scores, which are like road maps which help you discover the beauty of the world, and you have to learn how to read them to discover the feelings and soul of the composer who has written this music, and that will help you to understand yourself and others.”

Taking part in multi-disciplinary instructions, Carney is also a part of the ACG Youth Orchestra. But when it comes to what she does outside of practice, Carney gives insight to what it really looks like to be a musician.

“In my free time I always write something that’s in my mind,” Carney said. “I found out soon enough that it’s hard to balance school and music, so I decided to take piano and guitar here at Bowie and it’s been super fun.”

As a freshman, Carney participated in school state competitions to showcase her music skills.

“I competed for UIL city/state in Piano and I did regions in Austin,” Carney said. ‘I won first in both city/state competitions, and I got sixth chair in the state for the TMEA State competition.”

According to Carney’s mother, Aida Likaj-Swierk, competitions are no easy feat. One of Carney’s first competitions was for Bowie, but while she was in an honorable position, her mother believes she was surrounded by those who were top performers.

“I’ve been to many competitions and they’re all very nerve wracking but fun and very humbling,” Carney said. “I know to expect that there will always be people there that are better and worse than me. Growing up with music helped Carney to cultivate her love as well as her skills at home, according to Likaj-Swierk. “Until a few years ago I was the nagger to remind her to practice, but not anymore,’’ Likaj-Swierk said. “Not only is she grown up and mature now, but she loves it and I don’t have to budge on what and how she does it when it comes to music.”

Music can be a form of expression for many students, according to Carney, who claims she goes the extra mile. She believes her love for music is a form of communication, especially when she creates her own music that speaks to her.

“It came naturally to her and she wanted to express her feelings.” Likaj-Swierk said. “She just wanted to have fun with testing different ideas in piano and/or software that she uses. I think Besa speaks better in notes than in words.”

With support from her family, friends, and mentors, Chenu believes that Carney will have the opportunity to reach her full potential.

“I am just a guide to help Besa in her musical travels,” Chenu said. “Besa loves music, loves to practice, and I think that practicing for her is a joy. She follows directions and we communicate through our mutual love of music. I know that music will always be part of her life, in a way or other. She will find it.”