All-State Jazz Choir: Molly Ardle
By Kenzee Hampton
Photo of Molly Ardle, taken by Kenzee Hampton.
Molly Ardle had the opportunity to perform at Jazz Choir All-State last week, to not just represent her school but to represent herself. Out of the whole state, only 24 students get to go.
All-State is an opportunity where all the jazz choirs in the state prepare for an audition, then the best of the best get to advance and perform. To prepare, all the jazz choirs receive choral music before the auditions. They can practice by themselves and/or with their class, and the Owasso Jazz Choir practiced together and pushed each other to perform to their best abilities. After all their hard work, they all went together to go and audition in Oklahoma City— Ardle made it.
Ardle now had to prepare to perform at All-State, and she received the music about a month and a half before the auditions. She practiced at home and put in the work by herself, unable to sing the music with the other All-State singers until two days before the concert
Ardle was not too worried about not being able to perform with the others because she has been in choir for eight years. Despite years of experience, Ardle was initially hesitant to audition.
She states, “Each year we have had the opportunity to [audition for All-State.] [Yet I didn’t, until this year, because] I just thought it would be cool to have that experience, and just get to audition for something I have not auditioned for yet… I just got lucky and I made it.”
Some people that helped influence her decision to audition were her choir teachers, Tricia Wynn and Becky Robinson.
She continues, “My choir teachers teach me a lot. I have been in classes with them for six years, so they have become like my second moms to me.”
Every day at seven in the morning, the Owasso Jazz Choir practices for concerts.
Ardle adds about the practices, “I feel that that doesn't prepare you for the things you get to do at All-State because it is so next level and advanced.”
With all she has learned from her teachers and her clinicians at All-State, she can follow in their footsteps by teaching her peers.
Ardle told me with a smile, “I am able to bring a lot of things back that we can use for our school jazz choir: just like different warm-up techniques, different ways to make your voice sound better and [how to help your voice] heal better.”
Ardle is not only excited to show her newfound leadership skills, she is also excited to express her rediscovery of her love for choir. As a senior this year, Ardle fell into the habit of going through the motions.
Ardle finishes, “Getting to go really got to show me the joy I get out of it. If you are in a choir, I really encourage you to audition for it. It's really fun. Audition even if you don't want to because you never know what experience you will have.”
Ardle is beyond grateful for her peers that cheered her on and helped her on her journey. As a senior this was a good way to wrap up her singing career. Ardle has made memories and learned lessons she will carry on for the rest of her life; she highly encourages others to join the choir. She elaborates how it is a really great experience where you can find a family of people who take care of each other.