CCHS singer applied as Bass2 after narrowly missing last year
Cornwall High School senior Emerson Barth recalls watching his sister perform when she was selected for area all-state and thinking that’s something he wanted to aspire to one day. He applied as a junior and narrowly missed being selected, but he tried again this year and was Cornwall’s lone representative at the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) annual winter conference.
“I tried out last year and was one point from getting in,” Barth said. “I remember seeing other people from school getting in and it was something I wanted to do. The audition was this past spring. I worked hard to get in. I’m glad that paid off because it was a fun experience.”
Barth, who, since the age of eight has taken any solitary moment at home to sing, has been performing in the school choir since fourth grade. He’s also a cello player in the orchestra, but realizing his stronger attribute is his voice, took his teacher’s advice and applied for the winter conference.
As a junior, he applied as Bass1, but this year he auditioned as Bass2 because there’s a smaller pool of people and fewer singers who can sing at that voice level.
“I enjoy music and it’s always been a big part of my life,” Barth said. “Being able to express that to the world and being able to do that in a way that people enjoy, is rewarding. It gives me a sense of satisfaction knowing that I was able to represent my school and community in a statewide conference not a lot of people get to experience. I’m very grateful for the opportunity.”
Auditions for NYSSMA are held annually with six levels to the audition, six being All-State. The auditioner chooses a song from a provided list and prepares it ahead of time. It’s then performed before a panel of judges who grade each participant. Those who score the highest are considered for All-State.
“If your grade is high enough at the location you auditioned, you’re considered for All-State,” Barth said. “I think we had 224 people out of how many people auditioned. If you get a 98 or higher, you’re automatically considered. Last year I got a 99 but didn’t get in. This year I got a 99, but I was Bass 2 which gave me a better shot of getting in.”
Barth said experiencing the audition process last year was definitely a benefit the second time around. He said the grade he received and the suggestions from the judges gave him insight into areas in which he needed to improve.
“One of the things I noticed I needed to improve on was breath control. Phrasing was another thing and overall musicality. I had one more year left to try and do this, so I started preparing earlier than the previous year and I guess I just walked in and was more prepared. I had more knowledge of what was going on and what I needed to do.”
For the festival itself, which was held in Rochester last month, Barth had to learn several musical pieces beforehand. Swamped with other activities from Drama Club to Area All-State, the teen admits he wasn’t as prepared as he should have been, but definitely wasn’t the least prepared of the ensemble. He did spend about three days prior to the conference, as well as the bus ride up, preparing.
Once at the venue, Barth met up with the other singers and the conductor. About 19 hours was spent rehearsing before the full performance.
“It was a great concert,” he said. “I really cherish the opportunity to be able to sing in a choir full of so many people who enjoy music in the same way I do. It was nice being able to experience our conductor. He was a fantastic conductor. He only had one arm. He had a tragic accident, but he still went to school to become a conductor. It was very obvious he really loved everything he was doing. That inspired me and some of the other people in the choir to love what we do even more.”
Looking ahead to college, Barth said he’d like to join the school’s acapella club, join the choir, and perhaps do some theater. He’s even thought about minoring in music and while he’s not opposed to becoming a music teacher one day, his main focus is on history.
