Lake Highlands High School is celebrating two students who earned coveted spots in the Texas All-State Mixed Choir over the weekend. Katherine Pottkotter and Saylor Smith are among the state’s vocal elite.
Pottkotter and Smith advanced through four auditions prior to Saturday’s event, and only the top five chairs are placed in the prestigious mixed choir. Pottkotter has achieved the honor all four years of high school.
“This is the equivalent of going to state and winning at state at one audition in our Texas Fine Arts world,” wrote Lake Highlands Choir Director Kari Gilbertson in an email to LHHS teacher and staff Monday. “To make All-State even just once is an accomplishment. To make it four times is a truly unique and rare event. LHHS has only had one other four-year All-Stater in our school’s history. So, if you teach/know either of these two wonderful young women, please give them the kudos that they deserve.”
About 60,000 students enter the TMEA All-State competitive process in the fall, with 1,830 of those being selected to perform in 18 All-State ensembles. Just 125 are chosen for the All-State Mixed Choir.
All-State performances will be held as part of the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Clinic and Convention in February. More than 30,000 people from Texas and around the world are expected to attend, enjoying 300 workshops, 100 performances and 600 exhibiting companies and institutions of higher education. It is the nation’s largest convention for music educators.
Note: Loyal Advocate Magazine readers will recall longtime writer/editor Keri Mitchell, who now leads the nonprofit Dallas Free Press. Her daughter, Elliana, a student at Woodrow Wilson High, also earned a spot on the All-State Choir. Congratulations to all!