By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Chloe Meade and Addison Kitchen will be going where no Union City High School choir members have gone before.
The two UCHS students will head to Nashville in April to perform with the SSAA All-State Choir after being chosen for the elite ensemble following recent auditions in Memphis.
They are the first Union City High School choir members to perform with the All-State group, according to music teacher Allison Butner.
“I am very proud of Chloe and Addison,” said Butner, who noted that Nijel Smith (2018-19) was previously chosen for the honor but elected to perform with the All-State band ensemble instead. “The audition process was not easy. Each of them had to perform excerpts from two collegiate-level pieces, followed by sight-reading a melody they had never seen before the audition day.
“Both went up against students from public and private schools in West Tennessee who have a long tradition of choral excellence. Our choral program is only a couple of years old, but we have a tremendous amount of talent.”
Meade and Kitchen had each been selected to the All-West Choir earlier, thus earning the right to audition for the All State contingent. Only those West Tennessee students in grades 10-12 who were chosen for the All-West honors group were allowed to try-out for All-State.
The top 17 students from each voice part were chosen for the honor, with 10 more alternates picked.
Meade was named to the original group, while Kitchen is an alternate.
Performers from across the state who were selected will perform together in Nashville at the TNMEA State Conference April 19-22.
The Tennessee Music Education Association will hold its annual convention at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center.