Four students from Cathedral Prep’s Show Choir recently competed in the PA Music Ed Association’s State Competition, called PMEA for short. Theresa Ferraro (Soprano 1), Bella Speros (Soprano 2), Chris Reitz (Tenor 2), and Rob Socash (Bass 1) placed in the top spots in their sections during PMEA Region Competition to qualify for the recent state trip. The competition was held at the Kalahari Convention Center in the Poconos.
“My experience at the PMEA State Choir competition was nothing short of amazing,” junior Bella Speros said. “The choir was made up of young singers from across Pennsylvania who have earned their spot at the state level through two rounds of auditions, as well as years of training and dedication to music and performing. Along with meeting students from around the state, I learned so much about vocal techniques, musical storytelling, music theory, and the music of cultures from around the world. It was truly a great experience.”
Bella sings Soprano 2, the second highest voice part. She finished the competition as 25th singer in the state. As for the other Soprano part, Soprano 1, Theresa showcased her passion and talent during states.
“My experience at PMEA State Choir was unlike anything for choir that I have done before,” Theresa shared. “I found myself surrounded by talented singers and artists of all ages. We were all so different but shared the same passion for music. This similarity made the people easy to talk to, and I made a lot of new friends during the competition. I never could have imagined that I would be able to say that I went to states for chorus, when a year ago I didn’t even know what PMEA was. I am so grateful for the people that have helped me during this experience.”
While the PMEA state competition was rewarding and fun, it didn’t come without its challenges and struggles. Preparing for states included the process of receiving the music and selecting two excerpts to sing in a video audition that determined chairs for the competition. The process required lots of time, hard work, and dedication.
“I’m glad I put the time and effort into my performance at PMEA,” Rob stated. “I wouldn’t have learned all the things that I got out of it if I didn’t. The competition was an amazing experience. I came into it not knowing what to expect, but I learned so many things that I had not previously known and made a lot of new friends. As I move on to college, I plan to minor in music. The things I learned during the PMEA state competition will help me achieve this.”
Theresa, Bella, Chris, and Rob represented Cathedral Prep well with their talents and achievements in this year’s PMEA season. They learned valuable lessons and skills and showcased their knowledge profoundly well. These lessons and skills will last a lifetime and allow for further advancement and achievement of goals, in and out of the PMEA world.
“Over the past two years, I have sung a diverse array of choral pieces in Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, Swahili, and Hebrew, which all came with unique beauty and challenges and have allowed me to learn about the different styles of music around the world,” Bella said. “I am so grateful to Mr. Alesso, and for my friends Theresa, Rob, and Chris, who also advanced to states, as well as all of the students who participated in PMEA this year. I hope to encourage other choir students at Prep to challenge themselves and be a part of this wonderful program.”
