Choir will be attending UIL competitions on April 3 and 4 at Byron Nelson High School. The competitions will be held for all the schools in Region Two.

Choir UIL consists of a two-part competition: three practiced pieces and one sight reading of a music piece they have not seen before. Based on their performances, they receive feedback and ratings. Choir director Nathan Ratliff said that he, along with choir director Rachel Forester, have been preparing the students in a way that they will be able to sing naturally and not forced.

“Our expectation for the students [is] to be successful in reproducing everything they’ve been working on over several months,” Ratliff said. “They put in the dynamics and the musicality; they should strive for great tone and balance and blend. It’s a culmination of the work that they’ve done on the pieces.”

Choir will have six groups representing the school at UIL this year: Concert Men, Concert Women, Belle Chanson, the varsity treble choir, the varsity men, and A Cappella Mixed choirs performing. Students  been working on different pieces for the several months and recently started practicing sight reading. Sophomore class choir representative Anjali Gladson said the choir is ready to take on the competitions.

“I most definitely think we’re prepared,” Gladson said. “We have come so far as a choir and have worked very hard to perfect our choral sound. Ever since the beginning of the school year, we have been taught well by our directors and we have set our goals high.”

Throughout the years, the school has won many sweepstakes and awards. However, Ratliff said it is not the winning that he cares about.

“It had been weeks of diligent practice and having the end goal in mind,” Ratliff said. “But it’s not about the ratings or the trophies. It’s about the choir’s success and the choir’s excellence. Ratings and trophies will come if they do what they need to do.”