Attending the region choir auditions Oct. 27 at Round Rock High School, 24 students placed in the All State Choir process and have advanced to the next level. This was the most Mavericks who have advanced in the past four years.

“I felt like a spur of joy because the eight people from McNeil get to represent the school at pre-Area,” junior Kasi Balijepalli said. “I sang my music at home almost every day and every morning; it’s a lot of work. This is my second year in choir and my first time competing.”

Students were given the music for region about a month before the contest. They ran through it in class almost every day, especially the week leading up to the competition. Each student had tracks for their individual singing part which consisted of either soprano, alto, tenor or bass. Each student listened to their respective tracks to help them learn.

The choir regionals process was split into the singing parts of soprano one and two, alto one and two, tenor one and two and bass one and two. Ten people from each part are selected for region from the entire district, along with two alternates.

“I’ve been in choir since I was in fifth grade. I can be either a tener or a bass, but I auditioned as a bass,” senior Ricardo Rivadeneira said. “This was my first time doing any kind of solo Texas Music Educators Association competition. I was really happy and also proud that one of the sophomore basses, Devan Martinez, also advanced. We both worked really hard on the music together throughout the whole process, so it was great knowing we both made it.”

The following students advanced:

Pre-Area: Kasi Balijepally (11), Jasmine Cardenas (12) , D’Marial Jones (12), Allison Kisel (12), Devan Martinez (10), Abigail Mathew (11) 1st Alternate, Sravna Pathuru (11) , David Reifsnider (11) 2nd Alternate, Ricardo Rivadeneira (12), Nathan Thompson (12)

Region: Zach Akkinola (11), Keaton Brandt (10), Emily De La Portilla (9), Seth Fairconeture (12), Keith Gruber (12), Luke Guajardo (11), Sebastian MacKenzie (9), Will Nakata (12), Varsha Nathan (10), Bryce Pepper (11), Connor Sasin (9), Nick Shreve (12), Chrissy Speranza (12), Katherine West (12).