In Brooklet, everyone knows that the Southeast Bulloch High School Marching Band rules. Well, another musical group from SEB may deserve similar high praise: "The Advanced Chorus."
Brent Whittaker, who is in his third year on the SEB staff, is the group's choral director. Whittaker, who taught at the elementary school level before coming to SEB, has been building the program over the past two years.
Recently, Whittaker and the chorus participated in their first Choral Competition at the Southern Star Music Festival in Atlanta.
Sponsored by "Six Flags Over Georgia" since 1993, the competition attracted 28 other choral groups from Alabama, North and South Carolina, Florida and Georgia.
Competing in front of a panel of regional judges, SEB's singers were one of only three high school choruses to earn "Gold" ratings from each of the three judges, with scores of 90, 95 and 96.
The other two top ranked choirs, the Bleckley County High School Royal Singers and the Lumpkin County High School Varsity Singers, have much larger programs.
Participation in the advanced chorus at SEB requires each member to pass a rigorous audition and make a serious commitment of time. In order to achieve results such as they did this past weekend, Whittaker said there can be no excuses.
Every grade level, from freshman to senior, is represented in the 38-member group. The trip to Atlanta was paid for with money the students raised over the past school year.
At the competition, SEB's chorus performed immediately after the judges returned from their dinner break. Their repertoire consisted of three songs.
They were: "Domine Deus," by Ruth Morris-Gray; "Earth Song," by Frank Ticheli; and "The Quest Unending," by Joseph Martin.
The judges remarked to several of the students after their performance: "What a beautiful way to start the judging after coming back from the break."
The Chorus had to wait nearly 24 hours to learn their performance earned Gold ratings..
SEB Principal Joni Seier was pleased with the band's performance.
"Brent has built this program from the ground up. His kids have responded with an amazing dedication and unwavering commitment to excellence. I am not at all surprised that their first competition went so well."
Brent Whittaker, who is in his third year on the SEB staff, is the group's choral director. Whittaker, who taught at the elementary school level before coming to SEB, has been building the program over the past two years.
Recently, Whittaker and the chorus participated in their first Choral Competition at the Southern Star Music Festival in Atlanta.
Sponsored by "Six Flags Over Georgia" since 1993, the competition attracted 28 other choral groups from Alabama, North and South Carolina, Florida and Georgia.
Competing in front of a panel of regional judges, SEB's singers were one of only three high school choruses to earn "Gold" ratings from each of the three judges, with scores of 90, 95 and 96.
The other two top ranked choirs, the Bleckley County High School Royal Singers and the Lumpkin County High School Varsity Singers, have much larger programs.
Participation in the advanced chorus at SEB requires each member to pass a rigorous audition and make a serious commitment of time. In order to achieve results such as they did this past weekend, Whittaker said there can be no excuses.
Every grade level, from freshman to senior, is represented in the 38-member group. The trip to Atlanta was paid for with money the students raised over the past school year.
At the competition, SEB's chorus performed immediately after the judges returned from their dinner break. Their repertoire consisted of three songs.
They were: "Domine Deus," by Ruth Morris-Gray; "Earth Song," by Frank Ticheli; and "The Quest Unending," by Joseph Martin.
The judges remarked to several of the students after their performance: "What a beautiful way to start the judging after coming back from the break."
The Chorus had to wait nearly 24 hours to learn their performance earned Gold ratings..
SEB Principal Joni Seier was pleased with the band's performance.
"Brent has built this program from the ground up. His kids have responded with an amazing dedication and unwavering commitment to excellence. I am not at all surprised that their first competition went so well."