For the fifth consecutive year, a student from the Vidal M. Trevino School of Communications and Fine Arts (VMT) was selected as a member of the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) All-State Choir. Alyssa Salazar, a three-year member of the VMT Concert Choir, will perform with the Texas All-State Treble Choir in San Antonio, Saturday, February 10, 2024, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center as part of the 2024 Texas Music Educators Association Clinic/Convention.
Salazar was chosen for this honor through a competitive process held this year across the state at District, Region, and Area levels. Alyssa, a Soprano II choir singer, is a junior at the Vidal M. Trevino School of Communications and Fine Arts (VMT) and Nixon High School. She sings under the direction of Celia Hernandez, Choir Director at VMT.
“I remember telling her as a freshman, you have a kind of voice that belongs in the Texas All-State Choir,” said Hernandez. “You just need to get used to it. You need to open it up more. You need to really let yourself push more air behind that sound.”
“Last year as a sophomore, Alyssa participated in the Area auditions for the first time. When she made it to area this year, she understood just what the contest was about and just how much the intimidation factor really affects you when you're there because you're amongst all these other amazing singers,” said Hernandez. “If you don't keep your head in the game, it's very easy to let that distract you.”
But this year Salazar was ready. “She sounded so good during our last week of practices. I think I told her, I'm not changing anything that you're doing on this piece,” added Hernandez. “I'm not going to change anything because everything you're doing is already great. Just keep going with that I'm not changing it anymore. So, we went to compete down in the valley and she did it.”
In the Area finals, she competed against 20 students in her voice part where the top nine advance to state. Salazar received a seventh chair in the Area finals earning her a spot in the 2024 TMEA All-State Choir Concert.
Alyssa, who started singing when she was in second grade with her grandmother and officially joined choir in third grade at Milton Elementary School, will represent VMT and LISD at the TMEA All-State Conference. This is Alyssa’s first time to perform as a member of a TMEA All-State organization.
“I'm really excited. It was really a surprise to me,” said Salazar. “I want to gain a lot of experience from TMEA All-State because there's a lot of people that are really good singers and now, I'm a part of them. I just want to learn from everybody and all the new directors that are going to be there.”
Alyssa credits the people in her life who have guided her throughout this entire process.
“I would like to thank my elementary teacher Mr. Joseph, my middle school teacher Ms. Solis, and my high school teacher Ms. Hernandez for their guidance and encouragement,” said Salazar. “Most importantly my parents for their constant support and for listening to all my practices every single day.”
From the moment Alyssa started choir class, Ms. Hernandez knew that she had the ability, talent, and that natural skill to make it this far.
“She just needed some polishing to get there. I can't tell you how proud I am of Alyssa. I'm so proud of her for really understanding the technique that she had to access to be able to get to this,” said Hernandez. “Now that she's there, there's no going back. Now she knows how to do it and how to really put her voice in that perfect place. So, this is just the beginning for a lot more beautiful singing.”
Salazar is planning on pursuing a degree in the medical field from UTSA in San Antonio. Alyssa hopes to continue singing in the choir at her church and as a hobby.
High School students selected to perform in the All-State concerts have competed at auditions to qualify at the state level. All-State is the highest honor a Texas music student can receive. Close to 2,000 students are selected through a process that began with over 70,000 students from around the state vying for this honor to perform in one of 18 ensembles.
During the convention Salazar will have rehearsals all week with their ensembles and clinicians directed by nationally recognized conductors during the TMEA Clinic/Convention.
Texas Music Educators Association 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, 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 a TMEA All-State music group. Only the top 2.6 percent of musicians who initially audition become All-State musicians.