Talk about waiting 'til the last minute
By Sydney Kornegay
Cub@TheColumbiaStar.com

Richland One Honors Choir perform January 31

The students who sang in the Richland One Honors Choir only had one practice before their January 31 concert but still managed to produce an upbeat performance.

Both the middle school and high school Honors Choirs were made up of the top music students in Richland One schools. The 104 junior high students came from Alcorn, Crayton, Hand, Hopkins, St. Andrews, and Southeast Middle schools, while the 98 high school students represented Columbia, Dreher, Eau Claire, A.C. Flora, Keenan, and Lower Richland.

Each student was selected by the music teachers at their respective schools based on their musical talent. And while the students were given the music a few weeks in advance, the ensemble didn't come together as a whole until Monday and Tuesday mornings. At that point, it was up to the two Honors Choir conductors to mesh all the schools together.

Dr. Linda Kershaw, the middle school conductor, said she wished she had more time to practice with the students, but that "it was the one event where you can come together and the students are disciplined from beginning to end."

"They are refreshingly committed," she said.

Isaiah McGee, the high school conductor and director of Choral Studies at Claflin University, was equally impressed with the students' musical skills. He even offered to wave the application fees of any of the performers who wanted to apply to the music school.

The middle school students' repertoire included Jubilate Deo, Think on Me , and Let's Make Music America . The high school students performed Glorious Everlasting , Dance Alleluia , Jamaican Market Place , Bridge Over Troubled Water, and Elijah Rock.

Performing High

School Students

Conishia Barnwell, Redrick Chapman, Christopher Conyers, Moenika Ford, Keisha Bowman, Jazmin Moses, Marcus Thomas, Keoisha Bolden- Hayes, Christina Benson, Christmas Hargrove, Kimiko Bookert, Laquisha McDougal, Lynette Clowney, Kevon Williams, Dominque Tull, Ebony Perkins, Deloren Albert, Ashley Kent, Nicole Torres, Scharan Clarke, Jasmine Butler, Danielle Lykes, Lacy Wells, Timothy Bardlavens, Jay Zenger, Akaleisha Frazier, Malikea Hollis, Justin Drennon, Briana Murph, Cierra Wages, Jeffrey Amos, Lauren Bilton, Michael Carter, Laura Deneen, Ash Elia, Ashley Garrick, Kierra Gordon, Anna Hamer, Laura Harvey, Elizabeth Hicks, Conor Hozey, Travis Jackson, Mary Margaret Kneece, Alena Korolenko, Lauren Krass, Simon Makhuli, Lauren McFadden , Jan Pien, Ashley Rainwater, Katherine Sease, Apoorva Srivatava, Jackie Skinner, Jonathon Smith, Hannah Stevenson, Stephen Taylor, Tiffany Wagner, Sarah Wallace, Nathalie Matthews, Teffany Jackson, Ashley Green, Melody Turner, Sheron Owens, Abjah Tucker, Kassandra Wise, Timothy Shells, Andrew Garner, Alan Suber, Koree Eichelberger, Brian Johnson, Darius Manigo, Latoya Adams, Edrenia Morris, Robert Harris, Andrew Robinson, Aireal Hammonds, Traci Evans, Rethelle Roberts, Nakita Newbill, Cortni Seawoos, Naomi Hinton, T- Era Chisolm, Yahaira Smith, Ashley Green, Jasmine Brown, Nicole Davis, Jennifer Jones, Cynthia Ramirez

Performing Middle

School Students

Cierra Millhouse, Karishena Jones, Shon-Ann Cannady, Tanika Jackson, Charleen Walker, Javella Palmer, Kenya Evans, Deshana Ashford, Jessica Harris, Ariel Jones, Jessica Mack, Money Strider, Monique Strider, Adeola Adelere, Brittany Brown, Marisha Faust, Morgan Quiroz, Jacob Boyd, Chris Meetze, Dominique Rice, Brandon Shaw, Porter Rivers, Janeisha Bethea, Martin Butler, Sasha Cuoto, Max Edwards, Alyssa Hondges, Aleya Foulks, Samantha Ferrell, Keisha Craft , Kimberly Clarke, Brittney Van Dyke, Madi Kazadi, Jonah Harley, Darrein Cornelius, Cara Davis, Priscilla Davis, Keisha Davis, Nikyra James, Malaysia Williams, Sarah Axson, Joseph Jenkins, Oliver Daise, Marcus Ivey, Chriss Green, Tiesha Johnson, Jermaine Lytes, Kristen Sumter, Darien Gaither, Chris Harmon, Santerrica Johnson, Kayla Smith, Tyler Grant, Kaylin Abron, Shekeriah Graham, Chelsea Wilson, Justin Travis, Irvin Lee, Justice Nathan, St. Leathie Walker, LaQuisha Jackson, Alatrea Jones, Brittany Randolph, Malik Richardson, Meagan Bannister, Davae Miller, Victoria Culcleasure, Jamie Williams, Onesti Daniels, Dextrer Harmon, Kimberli Anderson, Marvin Walker, Dimitri Wyatt, Brishaiy Bolton, Donte' Johnson, Andrea Johnson, Porsha Heyward, ShaNequa Sneed, LaBreshia Nelums, Ashley Elm, Tatianna Huggins, Tianna Cooper, Kelvin Williams, Joel Moore, Danieal Suber, Quiterius Bennon, Dacia Jines, Dontavia Grooms, Imani Harrison, Ketherine Hatcher, Chelsea Jenkins, Giselyvette Valentin, Shakimah Martin, Joshua Cureton, Brittany Corrada, Alexis Jenkins, Monique Johnson, Karthiga Jordan, Kala Love, Lauran Reese, LaShonda Simons, Ismail Hopkins, and Zachary Young.