Posted 3:48 am Monday, April 23, 2012
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Grace Students Make A Joyful Noise
By EMILY GUEVARA
Staff Writer
Grace Community High School swept the state music competition earlier this month.
Staff Writer
Grace Community High School swept the state music competition earlier this month.
Almost 150 Grace students competed in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) 4A State Competition in the instrumental and vocal categories.
The orchestra, drumline and band won the instrumental state championship for the fifth consecutive year. The choir won the vocal state championship for the first year.
The orchestra, drumline and band won the instrumental state championship for the fifth consecutive year. The choir won the vocal state championship for the first year.
Grace competed against about 15 schools in each category (instrumental and vocal), and the schools that earned the most points through the multiple events were named champion.
Orchestra director Jason Montier said he believes that as Grace has invested in the talent of its students, God has blessed and multiplied those talents.
Orchestra director Jason Montier said he believes that as Grace has invested in the talent of its students, God has blessed and multiplied those talents.
He likened it to a parable in the Bible in which a man entrusted several of his servants with a certain amount of wealth. When they invested it and grew that wealth, he blessed them with more responsibility.
Montier said he believes the same can be said for the way Grace has invested in its music program.
“The school has just been very blessed that once they found a gifting from God, they seized upon it and invested (in) it,” he said.
Montier said he believes the same can be said for the way Grace has invested in its music program.
“The school has just been very blessed that once they found a gifting from God, they seized upon it and invested (in) it,” he said.
Susan Boylan, Grace's director of choral music at its junior high and high school, said the most exciting part of the vocal students' win is that 18 of them are seniors and six of those seniors have been a part of the choral music program since junior high.
She said the students have wanted to be state champions every year, but have been runner up for the past seven years.
She said the students have wanted to be state champions every year, but have been runner up for the past seven years.
She said this year the Tomball school that has placed first in vocal for several years running entered in more events (as it has in previous years) meaning right off the bat that school had the potential to beat Grace even if performances were equal quality.
However, Ms. Boylan said she told her students to do their best. She said they typically don't look at scores so their performances throughout the day won't be affected by the standings.
However, Ms. Boylan said she told her students to do their best. She said they typically don't look at scores so their performances throughout the day won't be affected by the standings.
By the end of the competition, she said she had no idea where they stood although she thought they had sung well.
She said the director of the Tomball school came in and congratulated her telling her Grace won this year.
“It was such a great gift to those seniors to be able to win this year in particular,” Ms. Boylan said.
Grace had three large ensemble groups compete each one receiving a Division 1 Superior rating in the performance category and the sight reading category, a first for the school.
Ms. Boylan attributed this year's championship showing to the leadership among the senior students, several of whom plan to study music in college.
“Every year they've gotten stronger and stronger and been such incredible leaders,” she said. “But I really feel like this year — to get straight ones is pretty hard to do. It's just so awesome of the Lord that he allowed that to happen their senior year.”
She said the director of the Tomball school came in and congratulated her telling her Grace won this year.
“It was such a great gift to those seniors to be able to win this year in particular,” Ms. Boylan said.
Grace had three large ensemble groups compete each one receiving a Division 1 Superior rating in the performance category and the sight reading category, a first for the school.
Ms. Boylan attributed this year's championship showing to the leadership among the senior students, several of whom plan to study music in college.
“Every year they've gotten stronger and stronger and been such incredible leaders,” she said. “But I really feel like this year — to get straight ones is pretty hard to do. It's just so awesome of the Lord that he allowed that to happen their senior year.”
