On January 24-26, the Missouri Music Educators Association Conference was held at Tan-Tar-A resort in Lake of the Ozarks.  In attendance were hand-selected musicians from around Missouri, which included band, orchestra and choir students.  Senior Kristina Jordan was the sole representative of the West High choir program at the conference, along with other West orchestra students.

“I auditioned initially for the St. Louis Suburban Choir.  The top 20 scores from Suburban are automatically guaranteed an audition for All State, and the top four from that audition are invited to State.  Because I was one of the top 20, I auditioned, placed fifth, and was made an alternate for State,” Jordan said.

Luckily, another girl dropped out of the State choir at the last minute, so Jordan accepted the offer to fill her spot at the conference.

“It was a great opportunity, and I really wanted to be in All-State Choir,” Jordan said.

Jordan was accompanied by choir teacher Brian Parrish and participated in rehearsals with other choir students while in attendance.

“Rehearsals were really long.  They usually went in six-hour shifts.  Then we would break for two hours,” Jordan said.

All of the rehearsals culminated in a concert with the 194 choir students at the end of the conference, singing songs such as “Laudamus Te”, and “The Battle of Jericho”.  Jordan definitely would go back if she could, having become friends with many of the people she met at the conference.