The Berta Cabaza Middle School choir students were recently evaluated among numerous middle school choirs throughout the Rio Grande Valley at the annual Texas Music Educators Association Region 28 University Interscholastic League (UIL) Choral Concert and Sight-Reading Contest held last month at the Harlingen CISD Performing Arts Center.
The Varsity Tenor-Bass Chorus earned a coveted “Sweepstakes” award for their Division 1 Superior ratings for their concert and sight-reading performances, and the Varsity Treble Chorus received straight Division 1 Superior ratings for their sight-reading performance.
The award-winning choirs are under the leadership and direction of head choral director Eradio Martinez and assistant director Ezequiel Lyra, both San Benito High School graduates and former award-winning choir students.
Martinez explained that the choral students persevered through numerous rehearsals after school and on weekends. They also participated in individualized lessons in order to achieve the highest level of performance.
In the past five years alone, the BCMS choirs have received a total of 12 Sweepstakes awards in the past five years. According to Martinez, they plan on continuing this tradition of success for many years to come.
“These awards demonstrate the consistent success that has become attached to the music programs at Berta Cabaza Middle School and San Benito as a whole,” Martinez proudly added.
