All-State singer

Turner Frazell participated in the ILMEA All-State Choir in Peoria this year on Jan. 29.

Many students from school districts throughout the state of Illinois participated in ILMEA All-District auditions in October. For these auditions, choir students have to prepare and sing selections from two different choir pieces on their voice part, along with scales and triads demonstrating musical knowledge and skill. From these auditions, students were selected to perform in their district festival in November. Students from Staunton Junior High and High School performed in the ILMEA District 4 festival on Nov. 6.

Even fewer students, from all throughout the state, are then chosen to perform in the all-state bands, orchestras and choirs. Only the students in the state who received the top scores from their original audition are chosen for this honor. Turner Fravell was one of only 33 bass 2s who were chosen for the All-State Choir; one of about 500 total students from the state of Illinois who participated in choirs at the ILMEA State Festival.

At the festival, Turner spent about 20 hours total rehearsing with the other skilled musicians who were chosen and their very talented director, Dr. Ollie Watts Davis, who is a professor of music at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

On Jan. 29, the All-State ensembles put on skillful and moving performances at the Peoria Civic Center. The weekend proved to be a great honor, a valuable experience, and an important learning opportunity for Turner.

He was presented with a plaque from the ILMEA All-State Festival, and the Staunton Board of Education presented him with a certificate.

Turner's choral director is Laura Hollingsworth.