Seven FSHS music students to compete at state

Seven Fort Scott High School students will perform in the Kansas Music Educator's All-State Choir, Orchestra and Band concert at 3 p.m., Saturday at the Century II Convention Center Wichita. FROM LEFT: Front row -- Lauren Allen, Catherine Sercer and Marguerite Fredericksen. Back row -- Brady Johnson, Anna Miles, Andrew Benage and Kristina Parsons. Submitted photo

Seven Fort Scott High School students are currently preparing to show off their musical talents on Saturday in Wichita.

At 3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 24, FSHS seniors Lauren Allen, Marguerite Fredericksen and Brady Johnson, juniors Anna Miles and Catherine Sercer and sophomores Andrew Benage and Kristina Parsons will perform in the Kansas Music Educator's All-State Choir, Orchestra and Band concert at the Century II Convention Center in Wichita.

Sercer, a viola player, will perform with the All-State Orchestra, while the others will perform with the All-State Choir.

The performance will feature 400 of Kansas' most accomplished high school music students, and the various groups will be directed by nationally renowned directors, FSHS choir instructor Pat Harry said.

The students will practice for the event Thursday and Friday afternoons and then again Saturday morning before performing Saturday afternoon.

Harry said that music instructors throughout the state will meet in Wichita for an extensive in-service training session at the same time as the students' rehearsals.

To qualify for all-state honors, students must go through a demanding audition procedure early in the fall, Harry said, which begins with auditions for high school music groups within each region.

Harry said that several thousand Kansas students take part in regional auditions. In each of the six regions, 350 students are chosen based on their performances at the first audition. Then, Harry said, the all-state selections are made from among the regional honorees.

Allen, one of only 28 singers in Kansas to earn all-state honors all three years of eligibility, said she is excited about performing on Saturday.

"I'm looking forward to this weekend," she said. "It's a great opportunity to sing with some of the best singers in the state."

The other students share in Allen's excitement.

"I'm really excited to get to learn (and) to better my skills with some great instructors," Parsons said.

"I'm very glad to have made it as a sophomore," Benage said. "Now I have a shot to be a three-year medalist."

"I love singing, and I'm totally pumped about going to state," Miles said.

Harry said the entire FSHS music department is proud of the seven students' accomplishments.

"The music department here is thrilled by their achievements and excited about their tremendous opportunity," Harry said.