Two AHS students have been selected to perform in one of four All-State choirs at the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Clinic/Convention in San Antonio Feb. 8-11. Senior Lauren Rabalais, Alto 2, and senior Logan Dooley, Bass I, participated in Area auditions Jan. 7 at Texas A&M Commerce.

Dooley, who made second chair in the Mixed Choir, has made All-State for the past three years. As a sophomore, he lived in Athens, Texas, and made the Small School Mixed Choir, and as a junior made the Tenor-Bass Choir.

“It feels like I accomplished something,” Dooley said. “I’m the only guy ever in history to make all three choirs because I made the Small School choir the first year it was introduced at TMEA.”

Rabalais, who received fourth chair overall and first chair in the Treble Choir, remembers feeling shocked when the results were announced.

“This is my senior year and my last shot,” Rabalais said. “I’d never gotten to the Area audition before, and the fact that I made it was just mind blowing to me.”

The All-State audition process begins in October with All-Region auditions in two phases, with the top 16 from each voice part moving on to Pre-Area. From Pre-Area, the top five advance to Area, where up to the top 12 are placed into one of the All-State choirs.

“The auditions themselves aren’t all that difficult,” Rabalais said. “It’s what you’d expect. It’s everything leading up to it and the way you handle yourself at the audition site, the way you handle learning the music, the way you handle treating your voice.”

Dooley cites his past participation in the All-State Choir as a formative experience.

“I think going and making it into the TMEA choirs changes your life as a musician,” Dooley said. “It’s a life-changing opportunity to be a part of, with incredible music and incredible people.”

Rabalais, who will be attending the TMEA Convention/Clinic for the first time, is most excited to rehearse with the choirs.

“I love that moment [in rehearsal] when everything finally starts to come together and you really hear everything sounding the way it should,” Rabalais said. “There’s just something magical about that moment, and when it happens with a really good choir there’s chills everywhere.”