Tyler Junior College students named to the Texas Two-Year College All-State Choir and their director are (from left) Nichole Painter, of Marshall; Grace Gaertner, of Tyler; Dr. Eric Posada, TJC director of choral music; Jared Kainer, of Katy; and Kaitlyn Woodard, of Bullard.

Four Tyler Junior College students have earned places in the 2019-20 Texas Two-Year College All-State Choir. They will perform at the Texas Music Educators Association’s annual convention in San Antonio in February.

TMEA is an annual meeting including Texas elementary through college music programs, including band, choir, orchestra and elementary music.

It is one of the largest such conventions in the country, attracting some 10,000 active music educators and about 30,000 attendees from across the nation each year.

“We are thrilled to have four students represent TJC in the all-state choir,” said Dr. Eric Posada, TJC director of choral music. “TMEA is one of the most prominent music education conventions in the country, and it’s a great experience for them to be able to perform there.”

After three days of rehearsal to learn seven musical selections, the group will perform at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15 in the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio.

The choir will be conducted by Dr. Eugene Rogers, director of choral activities and associate professor of conducting at the University of Michigan. Rogers is recognized as a leading conductor and educator throughout the United States and abroad. His choirs have toured China, South Africa and the United States and have appeared at national and regional conferences.

“When I came here in 2017, one of my goals was to encourage students to try out for the all-state choir,” Posada said, “and I’m proud to say that 12 students have represented TJC at this level since then.”

The students representing TJC this year are Nichole Painter of Marshall, Grace Gaertner of Tyler, Jared Kainer of Katy and Kaitlyn Woodard of Bullard.