By JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

LARNED — The Larned High School audition choir, Beginnings, has started a week-long “JumpStart” by starting rehearsals in the afternoons to prepare for the school year.
“The only summer rehearsals we have are during our JumpStart week before school starts Monday through Thursday,” said Alexandra Rome, Larned High choir director. “Our wonderful accompanist, Lorna Singer, joins us for all our rehearsals.”
Ten Larned students were selected during an open tryout after 15 students auditioned for Beginnings in May.
“The choir is selected at the end of school to help us get started more efficiently in the new school year. The number of singers selected is based on the balance of sections within the ensemble,” said Rome. “If I have 12 men audition and three women, I balance the number of women to men to maintain a level of balance in the sound.”
Beginnings members selected for 2015-2016 are sopranos, seniors Jennifer Applequist and Kate Schroeder, junior Leann Peterson and freshman Brooke Butler; altos, juniors Jaidaah Harris, Jessica Pfortmiller and Bailey Ritchie and freshman Shaylee Nesby; tenor Drake Toll, a senior; and bass Josh East, a junior.
Soloists and featured performers are selected through a brief tryout process during rehearsals.
“Those who are interested in trying out sing the part they would like, and after a day or two of deliberation, I select the soloists,” she said. “I love when people realize the hard work these kids are putting in.”
Beginnings rehearses Mondays and Thursdays before school from 7:10 to 7:50 a.m. Sometimes, the groups practices during seminar hour or schedules an extra rehearsal on a Sunday.
The group performs publicly at their regularly scheduled concerts and music festivals throughout the year and as many times they are scheduled for any singing performances in the community.
If any group or person would like Beginnings to sing for any kind of party, meeting, or event, contact Rome at alexandra.rome@usd495.net; or call (620) 285-2151.