By Crystal Hayduk
Anna Carter will graduate this year on a high note.
The Chelsea High School (CHS) soprano is preparing for her performance as a member of the All-State Festival Honors Choir, to be held at Michigan State University from May 9-11.
Ken Davis, choir director at CHS, said the All-State event will be conducted by Dr. Joe Miller, director of choral studies at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, “… a choral innovator and icon, who will be a fantastic source of learning and artistry for the students in the All-State Choir this year.”
One audition each December is used to select vocalists for three events: Regional Honors Choir, State Honors Choir, and All-State Festival Honors Choir. The audition is a multi-part process involving memorization of four songs prior to arrival and sight-reading a song the students have never heard before. Adding to the difficulty, all songs are sung a cappella.
“It is super nerve-racking,” said Carter. After the audition, students can be chosen for one or more honors choirs, or sent home.
Carter was selected for all three honors choirs, and was one of only 72 students statewide to progress to All-State. “Her voice part is incredibly competitive, so advancing to this level is a huge deal,” said Davis.
In addition to her coursework in the CHS chamber choir and performing with the three honors choirs, Carter qualified for and performed at State Solo and Ensemble in April—a pre-requisite to participate in the senior concerto program at CHS on May 1. She is also a vocalist in Company C.
Carter’s stage work is not limited to singing. She is an actress with the CHS Theatre Guild, and has worked as a stage manager for Chelsea Area Players Youth productions for the last three years.
Carter also excels academically. She’s a member of the National Honor Society and treasurer of the Key Club, who has committed to the University of Michigan for next year.
It might be hard to imagine after her performances and accolades this school year, but Carter has only been singing publicly since she was a sophomore. “I used to have terrible stage fright and couldn’t audition without crying,” she said.
Carter credits her voice teacher, Lisa Hinz-Johnson, for helping her improve. “When I was overcoming stage fright, I realized nobody is perfect,” said Carter. “There are going to be mistakes, and it’s okay.”
But even though Carter has learned how to manage stage fright, it was another fear that nearly stopped her from auditioning in December. Last year, Carter went as far as State Honors Choir. “When I was rejected for All-State last year, I took it very hard,” she said. “I didn’t want to get rejected again, so at first, I didn’t plan to audition.”
But with the gentle support of her parents and her teachers, Carter was able to put her fears aside to do the work. “My parents helped me consider the regret I might feel later if I didn’t try,” she said. “And Mr. Davis said the outcome didn’t matter.
“I wanted to go to All-State this year. I worked harder because I knew what not going felt like,” said Carter. “In the process, I had to work on my confidence as a person that I would do the best I could and that would be enough. I have worth whether I get what I’m working toward or not.”
Hinz-Johnson has witnessed Carter’s growth as a vocalist and well-rounded musician. “Anna embraces the process of studying her craft as much as the performances,” said her teacher. “Over the years, Anna has proven to be a versatile, accomplished singer …. Coaching her is a dream because she’s a true singing actor and consummate storyteller. Her skills go way beyond her years, and it has been thrilling to help her find her voice and watch her develop her own distinctive style. One of her super strengths is an incredible facility for learning foreign languages when studying classical music. This ability to pick up on the nuances of different languages, along with easily adapting and adjusting technique for a wide array of repertoire, makes her the rarest of high school talents.”
Carter believes that although not making it to All-State last year was upsetting at the time, it was ultimately the best thing that could have happened to her. “Rejection shows you what you really care about,” she said. “I’m proud of myself that I came back at all.”
Her advice to others: “It’s not the end of the world. Life goes on. Be proud of yourself no matter what you do.”
