Philip Callaway will perform with the All-State Choir. Photo Credit: Andy Adams

 

Philip Callaway, a member of the Lufkin High School Choir program, will perform the Texas All-State Tenor-Bass Choir in San Antonio, Saturday, February 17, 2018 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center as part of the 2018 Texas Music Educators Association Clinic/Convention.  He was chosen for this prestigious honor through a competitive process held this year across the state at District, Region, and Area levels.  Philip sings at Lufkin High School under the direction of Laura Hoelewyn who is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, a 19,000 plus member organization headquartered in Austin.  This is Philip’s first time to perform as a member of a TMEA All-State organization.  Philip is the son of Robert and Cynthia Callaway.

High school students selected to perform in the All-State concerts have competed through auditions to qualify at the state level.  All-State is the highest honor a Texas music student can receive.  1,780 students are selected through a process that begins with over 70,000 students from around the state vying for this honor to perform in one of 15 ensembles (bands, orchestras, and choirs). TMEA sponsors the Texas All-State competition. This competitive process begins throughout the state in auditions hosted by 33 TMEA Regions.  Individual musicians perform selected music for a panel of judges who rank each instrument or voice part.  From this ranking a select group of musicians advances from their Region to compete against musicians from other areas in eight TMEA Area competitions. The highest ranking musicians judged at the TMEA Area competitions qualify to perform in TMEA All-State music group.  Only the top 2.5% of musicians who initially audition become All-State musicians.

These All-State students participate in three days of rehearsals directed by nationally recognized conductors during the TMEA Clinic/Convention. Their performances for thousands of attendees bring this extraordinary event to a close. Philip’s choir will perform at 5:30 pm on February 17th in the Stars at Night Ballroom of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.