Cambridge student chosen for All-State Choir, 30 years after her father's performance

CAMBRIDGE − Cambridge High School senior Evy Todd recently earned a significant honor when she auditioned for and was selected to sing in the Ohio Music Educators Association (OMEA) All-State Choir.

As one of only 22 sopranos out of hundreds who auditioned to be selected for the All-State Chorus, Evy is in rare company. She is the first person from Cambridge High School to be selected for the All-State Chorus since her father and CHS choir director, Aaron Todd, was selected to perform 30 years ago in 1994.

“This is the highest honor a high school vocalist can receive in Ohio,” Aaron said. “This is not a district or even a regional honor, it is the entire state of Ohio. This a huge deal for Evy and the vocal music department at CHS.”

Evy is thrilled with the opportunity to participate, but is more excited with the idea that her success will draw positive attention to the fledgling vocal music department at Cambridge.

The choir program at Cambridge was defunct for several years but is being brought back to life by Aaron who was hired on a part-time basis a few years ago with the promise that he would be hired full-time if he could grow the program. Last year, he was hired full time.

The journey to the All-State choir started in late spring when Evy began to look for an audition piece. Audition music options are the same options available for the solo and ensemble judged performances each spring.

In the previous two years, once solo and once as part of an ensemble, Evy has sung a Class A piece – the most challenging music – and earned a superior rating. The harder part was finding a song that fit her voice and style that would allow her audition to stand out from the rest.

“Part of the process as a director is knowing what song to choose,” Aaron said. “Since she is my daughter, that helps a lot.

“I wasn’t sure what we were going to do, as the choices were slim, but then I saw a piece that Julie Andrews had performed,” Aaron continued. “There is an English, kind of a light sprightliness to it that fit her light soprano voice to a T.”

Evy recorded the solo and provided the required vocal range demonstration to the judges who selected her as a soprano 1 in the State Choir.

All-State Choir is Feb. 1-3, at the Columbus Convention Center. A closed-to-the-public performance is scheduled for Feb. 2.

If you do want to see Eny perform, you may be able to see her singing in the school choir or participating in solo and ensemble events. She also sings in the Christ Global Methodist Church Choir. She is a flutist and the field commander for the high school marching band. She has also participated in Youthfest, a musical camp at Muskingum University.

She is hoping to continue with music as she moves on to college next year. She currently is considering Ohio State University and Case Western Reserve University, but is also looking at options outside the Buckeye State.

The selection to the All-State choir will also help her get accepted to a music program at a college and probably ensure her some scholarship money as well.

At school, Evy is involved in the Spanish Club, Ohio Model United Nations, and is the secretary of the National Honor Society.

Information provided by John Charlton with Cambridge City Schools.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: CHS student Evy Todd selected to perform with All-State Choir