Mount Pleasant High School senior Christina Kessler will sing as part of the Texas Music Educator Association (TMEA) All- State Women’s Choir for the second year in a row. She will perform with the Choir in San Antonio on Saturday, February 13, 2016 at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center as part of the 2016 TMEA Clinic/Convention.  Kessler, the daughter of Mike and Amy Kessler, is a member of the MPHS Bello Canto.

“This is the result of months of hard work,” said MPHS Choir Director Luke Dean.  “Christina began preparing this summer when she went to an All-State choir camp, and then had to advance through three rounds of auditions. She has worked hard to learn the music and to perfect her sight-reading. I am proud that Christina will again be representing Mt. Pleasant in the All-State Choir.”

Kessler was chosen for this prestigious honor through a competitive process held this school year across the state at the District, Region and Area levels.  She is one of over 1,600 students selected through an audition process that began with over 64,000 students from across the state of Texas vying for the honor of performing in one of 15 ensembles (bands, orchestras and choirs).

“The audition process is not easy,” said MPISD Director of Communication Dr. Judi Saxton. “Individual musicians perform selected music before a panel of judges who rank each instrument or voice part. From this ranking, a select group of musicians advances to the next level.

Only the top 3% of musicians who initially audition become All-State musicians. For an adult musician to perform alone before a panel of judges is intimidating. It can be even more for a high school student.”

Kessler’s accomplishment is even more amazing, Saxton added. “Christina was in a church van accident in July 2014 which seriously injured her mouth.  She had to really adjust her singing style to take this into account. That she continued to sing and then made All-State Choir twice speaks to her personal determination and her commitment to being an outstanding musician.”

Kessler hopes to attend Baylor University after graduation to major in Music Education.