Kingfisher High School’s choir swept the judges in the performance portion of the Class 4A district choral competition and has earned a spot in the state competition for a fifth consecutive year.

“As their choir director, I’m so proud of the work they have done,” said Diann Magnus. “We have worked hard to build a program. It takes strong commitment from students and parents.”

The choir competed in district Feb. 26 at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva.

Performing were Jennifer Reyes, Elizabeth Rutherford, Stormie Shockey, Macy Harrison, Katie Beecher, Angel Patterson, Cortney Smith, Sarena Fletcher, Payton Belair, Rylee Trent, Zach Smith, Jonathan Orozco, Nathan Smalley, Emily Skala, Kylee Lambert and Sicily Leck.

State will be held April 3 at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee.

To “sweep the judges,” a choir must earn a Superior rating from all three judges.

The KHS choir members prepared and performed an accompanied piece and an a cappella piece.

At least one of those must be on the OSSAA’s prescribed music list for Class 4A.

For Kingfisher, that was “Windy Nights” by Cynthia Gray.

Their a cappella selection was “Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above” by Robert Charlton Bayley.

The group also earned an Excellent rating in the sight singing portion of the competition, which, in a sense, puts the choir on the spot.

“It shows the judge that the choir can learn music by audiation,” Magnus said, explaining that audiation is “hearing the notes internally without the aid of an instrument.”

In sight singing, the judge’s assistant provides each student a booklet, but they aren’t able to open until instructed. The judge tells the director from what page the group will sing.

The director has one minute to examine the piece so he or she can instruct students once they begin.

The judge then instructs the students to open their booklets to the assigned page.

The choir is given the starting pitch and then has three minutes to read/sing the song. The director is not allowed to sing, but may instruct.

When time is up, the choir performs the song for the judge.

Members then have two minutes to fix any notes or rhythms and then they sing once more for the judge.

High school sight sings in three parts. Sopranos work together in their section, altos in their section and basses in theirs.

Whether in audiation or sight singing, Magnus said there is a lot that goes into a performance.

“What many people do not realize is that singing competitively is a lot of work,” she said. “A choir must be unified in how they sing the vowels in the song’s lyrics, the judge must hear the consonants, phrasing is important, balance and blend among the singers and the sections.

“It takes a lot of work. There are a lot details.”

KHS choir members also performed in the solo and ensemble competition the same day.

The select ensemble of Skala, Rutherford, Shockey, Smith, Orozco, Smalley, Belair, Trent and Sicily Leck earned a Superior performing “Windy Nights.” They were accompanied by Carrie Edwards.

Rutherford, Trent and Shockey earned Superior ratings on their solo performances as well.

Magnus said some students were even offered scholarships to a couple of universities on site, making the day that much more rewarding.

“I am so blessed to teach in such a great district,” she said.