Four Kingfisher Middle School students recently earned a spot on the Oklahoma Music Educators Association (OKMEA) Children’s All-State Honor Choir.

Selected were seventh graders Kya Bolner and Julianna Austin and sixth graders Shilo Willingham and Gisselle Ponce.

The choir is made up of students from fourth-eighth grades.

Students work with teachers to record their audition which includes singing a five-tone scale, singing the melody of a four-measure phrase while the piano plays harmony and then singing the harmony while the piano plays the melody and, lastly, singing “Jubilate Deo” a cappella.

Teachers then enter the recordings of students who have successfully recorded those criteria.

“It takes several days and I stay after school and work with students who want to audition,” said Diann Magnus, Kingfisher’s choral director.

There were about 400 recordings entered state wide resulting in 134 earning a place in the choir.

All four of the Kingfisher Honor Choir students who entered were selected to the choir.

The students worked with clinician Christy Elsner (founder and director of Allegro Choirs in Kansas City) for two days and then performed on Friday, Jan. 21, for a full house at Tulsa’s Cox Convention Center.

“I’m very proud of the students who have auditioned for all of the all state choirs,” Magnus said. “Many do not realize the work that goes into these auditions. They all deserve high praise for their work.”