Top Horry music students ready for All-County performances

Horry County Schools’ musical talent will be on display over the next few weeks as students who’ve won spots in the district’s All-County orchestra, chorus and band groups convene during different weeks to perform concerts on area stages.

Six groups – two in each area, divided by middle and high school – face intense musical weekends. Guest clinicians are invited in to lead each group in 1 ½-day clinics, where the students are brought together for the first time to rehearse and refine a program, then perform it the next day.

“It’s an all-star group,” said Bert Owen, the district’s learning specialist for fine arts. “The level of focus and talent is impressive.”

Area residents are welcome at the events, which are free, although auditorium seating is limited. The All-County Orchestra concert will be held tonight at 5:45 p.m. at Myrtle Beach High School auditorium.

All-County Chorus will perform at 5 p.m. Jan. 28 at Conway High School, followed by the All-County Band concert at Aynor High School at 5:45 p.m. Feb. 10.

Owen said teachers nominate the students, who audition for seats in each group. Students must prove their proficiency in areas such as scales, sight reading and musical terms, and there are no quotas, so every student competes based on their abilities. Music educators put in a long night when judging the auditions, listening to 500 to 600 students perform and working very hard to be consistent with scoring, he said.

Once the spots are filled, it’s up to the guest clinicians to make magic with the students, who have never played together, in a short amount of time. This year’s leaders, well-known in their fields, are Susan Baier of the Spartanburg District 6 for orchestra; Vic Varner, recently retired from Beaufort High School for chorus; and Jesse Suggs, a retired music educator from Greensboro, N.C., for band.

At orchestra rehearsal Thursday evening, some middle and high schoolers, said the process involved a lot of work but that their drive has more to do with following their passion and having fun.

“It has a really healthy atmosphere,” said eighth-grader Zoe Williams, “even if you try and don’t make it. Ms. [Lynn] Auman really pushes you to audition, but she asks how confident you are and works with you to do it.”

Owen said the competition is homegrown and is one that has stirred interest for similar programs in other counties. It is not affiliated with regional and state competitions, which are held by the S.C. Music Educators Association. Students who qualify for All-County can earn full scholarships to Coastal Carolina University’s Summer Arts Academy for 10 days of intense musical study in a residential setting.

Sophomores Serena Bethle and Olivia Gawler, who’ve both attended the academy, said the opportunity is reason enough to vie for All-County status.

“It’s a great experience that you really look forward to, and you make a lot of friends,” Bethle said.

Gawler said she learned so much from classes such as music theory, plus the setting gave her a chance to see what being at college is really like. And like the entire process to earn her spot in the elite orchestra, it taught her more than just music.

“It teaches you to have responsibility for yourself,” Gawler said. “It makes you feel special and that you can do other things besides music.”