PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT FOR ALL-STARS

By Keith Taylor, Web and Social Media Coordinator

THE OLD JOKE about how to get to Carnegie Hall rings true for Allen High School Fine Arts students reaching their goals of All-State honors.

This year, 20 Allen High School students were named All-State musicians or singers, the highest high school music honor in Texas. To find out how they accomplished these accolades, three of these achievers shared their not-so-secret winning formula – and the punchline to the joke: Practice, practice, practice.

“Oh yes, I try to practice my music at least an hour a day,” said Lindsey Kim, a senior and four-time All-State violinist. “Even if I have to miss some time during the day because of school work or other activities, I try to make up for it on weekends.” lot of practice.

All-State Band member and flutist, Joseph Park, a sophomore, agrees.

“For the All-State competition, we are given short, melodic pieces to prepare for the auditions,” he said, “However, we only play a small section of the music during auditions and we don’t know what that section will be, so we have to know the whole piece.” For Joseph, that means practicing two hours a day. The same goes for the vocal member of the three, All-State Choir member Akhila Rayasam, a senior and a two-time All-State winner.

So, practice makes perfect, but all three said there are other essential ingredients to All-State success – love of music, the support of parents, peers, mentors, and a little old fashioned competitive spirit.

“I also play in the Dallas Youth Symphony,” Lindsey said, “A lot of the other members are All-State musicians, so that made me want to show them I am as good as they are.”

They all agreed that parental involvement and support were important to their success. Akhila mentioned the support of the AHS choir director Brian McKinney, and Joseph and Lindsey were quick to credit Band Director Philip Obado and Orchestra Director David DeVoto as well as middle school teachers and private tutors. For example, Akhila didn’t begin singing in the choir until her freshman year.

“I became involved in choir because of my childhood piano teacher, Cindy Darland, who helped me build a foundation in music,” Akhila said. She also credited her parents for encouraging her musical ambitions and joining the choir. Joseph also lauded his parents for his All-State journey.

“I’ve always played an instrument,” he said, “My sister plays violin and we both played piano when we were younger. In middle school, my mother asked me to choose band, choir, or orchestra. I wanted to be in the band.”

After considering the clarinet, Joseph decided on the flute the summer before his sixth-grade year and has never looked back. Because of his musical versatility, he often steps in to perform the piccolo with the band when needed.

Lindsey looked to her grandparents as role models in her musical quest. Her mother’s parents were both musicians and performed in orchestras in Korea.

“My parents are engineers, but my whole family has a love for music,” she said. “They are always there to help me pursue my musical interests.” She also credited her middle school orchestra instructor, Joanna DeVoto, the director at Ereckson Middle School, as a significant mentor and motivator.

Although Joseph has some time to think about his post-high school endeavors, he does intend to hone his musical skills at college. Lindsey and Akhila also want to keep their hand in music as they explore professional careers. Ahkila plans to become a biologist while Lindsey will study engineering.

“I definitely want to continue singing,” Akhila said. “I hope to join a choir or an acapella group. I think acapella would be fun.”

The three agreed that participation in the All-State process was an important learning experience.

“All -State was a fun experience and I am grateful for the opportunity to compete at that level,” Linsdey said.