MADISON – A student group at Liberty has something to sing about.

Liberty had 31 choral students qualify for the Alabama All State Choir 2021-2022. “This is a record for our school,” Alicia Moreno Mulloy, Liberty’s Director of Choral Music, said.

Each year, Alabama Vocal Association hosts the All-State Choral Festival, a three-day event that culminates in a professionally recorded concert.

“The festival is an opportunity for students with outstanding ability and initiative to receive public recognition, to sing under the direction of nationally recognized choral clinicians and to perform choral literature of the highest quality,” Mulloy said.

This year’s All State Choir auditions at Mayfair Church of Christ in Huntsville returned to face-to-face format. Students had to prepare six or seven songs to perform for adjudicators.

Liberty students selected by audition for the Alabama Vocal Association All State Choir are Hany Amer, Mavaea Baker, Shelby Bryant, Heather Campbell, Jaelyn Clay, Ava Cooper, Reagan Curry, Mason Douglas, Brycen Fuller, Annabelle Gagliano, Elijah Greer, Andrew Handley, Tavin Haygood, Abigail Holme, Errius Horrison, Hayden Irwin, Jayden Jacoby Bradford, Dylan Jester, Lauren Johnson, Annie Kate Lane, Tyler Lapp, Sarah Mays, Vivien Mueller, Scarlett Pressell, Layla Prevatt, Brennan Ragsdale, Taylor Richmond, Eric Salguerio, Andrew Smith, Ana Sullivan and Erin Weyenburg.

These auditions were open to students in grades 7-12 who are enrolled in a choir class at their school. “Thousands of students audition each year, but only a couple of hundreds of students are chosen to participate in each choir. This is a very competitive festival,” Mulloy said.

“My favorite part of preparing for All State Choir auditions is our ‘LMS All State Night (which) took place the Friday evening before auditions. It was two hours of hard work and fun,’” Mulloy said.

“We challenged students to video-record themselves in small groups doing silly actions with their songs around different areas of campus,” Mulloy said. For example, a student might record himself or herself singing an audition song in a yoga pose in a school stairwell.

“We ended the night with a pizza party and a spooky story, which had most of the boys screaming like little ladies. It was truly a memorable night,” Mulloy said.

Students reacted with excitement upon learning that judges selected them. Shelby Bryant said, “I cried when I saw Ms. Mulloy’s text message that I made it!” Hayden Irwin was happy “that my hard work paid off.” Abigail Holme said, “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!”

“I’m so proud of the students. Not only are they fantastic singers, but they are also fantastic human beings,” Mulloy said. “They show gratitude, respect and kindness daily. They’re truly passionate learners, fearless leaders and children of exceptional character.”

The 2022 All-State Choral Festival will be held with accomplished conductors on March 10-12, 2022 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham.