"Hard Times" - TMEA 2009 Texas All-State Mixed Choir Rehearsal

[mevalverde2012]

Truly beautiful beyond words.

This is my favorite video on the internet - for many reasons. It represents where I come from as a choral singer and yet where I want to go as a composer/conductor. I've listened to this I don't know how many times, and it still brings tears to my eyes. So many memories and much inspiration. Thank you to Sandra Snow and Craig Hella Johnson and to this TMEA choir for your meaningful contribution!

[Tenorboy29307]

This is what high school students should truly be doing. I'm humbled by this and inspired to continue trying to grow as a choral conductor.

[Takhilin]

I want to sing this song in choir....

[jthameschoir08]

This year of TMEA Made me feel envy like I have never had before. Thats when I grew angry for being in the 7th grade. But now I can try harder this year! : D

[choirfreak26]

You young people have no idea just how lucky you are to have worked with Dr. Snow. I had the pleasure of being in a choir under her direction 12 years ago, when I was in junior high school, and it was that choir and her direction that inspired me to pursue music education. She is an amazing director :)

[Lisaann124]

Incredible performance!

[Fereishte]

Awesome! Your humming sound is so haunting (in a good way). thanks for the beautiful singing!

[graciesings4u]

Were singing this for all state this year!! (: I can not wait!!

[blahq123]

Aaaaaaaaah

[modernmuso1]

Enjoyed this arrangement and the composition :D Brochevin, just a small thing (if I could, I'd whisper it to you, but this is the only way I can tell you :(... ) Your description says "ephemeral" at 3:15 and perhaps you meant ethereal? Ephemeral means "transitory or existing only briefly" and considering how harmonious and definitely "existing" that moment is, I think you probably used the wrong word :P

Thanks for introducing this piece to me!

[etrangerbelle]

this is so amazing! i'm so glad i stumbled upon this awesome choral piece!

[jthameschoir]

Oh god I didn't know that there were people out there that could sing this amazing at this age. This is the reason why I'm staying in Choir in High School.

[orlandzeo]

you should come and watch the Lmea choir. we did an awesome job this year.

[jonnyboygq]

texas, never ceases to amaze me...i get more pride from tmea then anything! ha this song...

FLAWLESS

[mallorylol24]

I was three chairs away from being here >:|

[SBskater2012]

you still made the mens or womens choir, amazing no matter which choir

[hawaiiangirls09]

no matter how many times i listen I get chills at the key change.....

[jessiestg]

Woa that was fantastic.

[cmunce]

I wish my middle name was Hella

[singerguy93]

@cmunce what if that was your middle name, and your last name was amazing. you could be Craig Hella Amazing. hahaah.

[lasallechorale]

I had goosebumps listening to this song! great performance! where could i get a copy of this piece?

[flickovertone]

wow..love it.!!

Bravo to the Arranger of the song..damn you made me cry..lol..^^

so brilliant..and the choir to. ^^

[afrohippy]

Yes this a Great Peace! Texas State Chorale is doing this at SWACDA this year. The aaranger is Craig Hella Johnson - director of Conspirare

[Jyron2]

Y ARE TEARS COMING FROM MY EYES .... UGHHH I HATE ALL STATE WHEN IT DOES THAT TO ME LOL j/k

[Haleyjoy0]

bravo! wow! :)

[g4thz]

Texas All-State YEAH!!!!!

[callthepopo15]

i miss this everyday. best experience of my life. best. And you sing that solo Rebecca.

[andrewcrawley23]

WOAH!!! okay, i made 8th chair, bass 2 , only freshman for arkansas all-state mixed choir...and i don't think it could even compare to this...

[2211886600]

My high school choir sang this for contest this year--I fell in love with it. This is excellent, and does the song complete justice! WELL DONE! :)

[cardten1]

I just loved the time when we finished and Dr. Snow gracefully went and sat at her seat next to her husband and cried!!! That hit me...for a little bit anyway...lol!!! I love the key chain...it gives me chills!!!!!! AH!!! I miss this...i hope to be here again!!!! GOD WILLING!!!

[jordanmonstermurdoc2]

if youve ever song a song that takes this much breath control and concentration you try not to breath on you note. it will cause u to cough and plus its just rehersal. so leave who ever it is alone

[malchikcrazy09]

or as sandra snow would say..."swallow!!"

[butterycat14]

If you haven't ......check out tmea all state 2008 come thou fount of every blessing!!!

BEAUTIFUL

[malchikcrazy09]

i uploaded that video! :)

[writerAngel7]

my school chamber choir sang this song. our soloist had a smoother voice with less vabrato. i wish i had a recording to post to show everyone just how great our choir is, like this one.

[rnbfan16]

well, is your soloist a 4 YEAR ALL STATER....that's what i thought :)

[writerAngel7]

i wasn't meaning to down-talk this choir. their rendition of 'Hard Times' is beautiful; i was merely commenting how i'm proud of my own choir as well.

i'm sorry to offend anyone, and for my apparent spelling mistake

[markyochoa]

TMEA alumni are a very proud bunch... and I should know.

With all the TMEA hate generated by the remaining 49 states we have developed a knack for jumping at anyone throwing even a vague dismissive comment that could be mistaken for maliciousness.

[rnbfan16]

sorry :P

[FullofAwesomeness101]

This almost made me cry, like no lie!!!

It was beautiful!!!

[MoveToMorrow]

Texas public schools still have solid music and fine arts programs today. This is a fine testament to their level of achievement. Yet after more than twenty years, two politicians want to change that.?! If they have their way, there would be no fine arts credit requirement for graduation from Texas public high schools (if State Bill 3 or House Bill 3 are passed). Without such a requirement, can you imagine how many students will never reach this level of achievement? Keep up the arts Texas!

[singerguy93]

Now only if NJ did that.

[markyochoa]

That's actually a good thing once you take away the smoke in mirrors. Now what you'll get in the fine arts programs are people who actually want to be there. Instead of the punks that are just there to graduate.. You know the ones. Join the choir/band/program for just their amount of credits needed then quit. YOU KNOW THE ONES.

[MoveToMorrow]

WOW! Absolutely wonderful. What dedication, focus and passion this type of performance requires. I applaud all of you for your accomplishments.

[Anja1246]

I'm still looking for Rebekah on facebook if anyone knows how to get a hold of her. Go 1st sopranos! 3rd chair Area D!

[jordanmonstermurdoc2]

y is texas all state always so beautiful. wish arkansas was like that

[JazzyKat4Ever]

Cause' Texas is a BIG state... competition is fierce!

[adccda]

this is too beautiful, makes me cry.

i am going to miss this choir so much, but i couldn't have asked for a better way to end my TMEA experience than this choir and clinician. Simply magical.

[GosfordAbercrombie]

This really is beautiful!!!!!

[SignoraAnnieLovett]

I love Rebekah Howell!!!! You owned this song, girl!!!

You guys sound great!

[jonknott09]

I miss this everyday :)

I will never forget this weekend, I have never loved making music more than when singing with all of you all :)

[Tenorboy29307]

Have to say that this is the most that I have ever enjoyed Texas All-State. Just stellar all around, guys. Wonderful work. You should feel very proud of your accomplishments!

[singerguy93]

omggg. i wanna move to texas now. NJ is good, but not this good.

[Moraceleste09]

This song along with " I am in Need of Music " is one of my favorite. Whenever we would sing this beautiful song everyone would instantly connect. It was almost like we were made to all be there at that moment in time. Like the song says we are all having " Hard Times" and whenever we would sing this song all of mine would simply go away. I would do anything to sing with this prestigous choir again!!!! I miss everyone : [

[afrohippy]

I sang with the Texas State University Chorale this year at TMEA and this was gonna be our closer until we found out the Mixed chorus was singing it. Before we walked on stage, our director (Dr. Joey Martin), had us sing the first half of the song by memory... just so we could sing as one... it was great to hear you all do the same.

[paperbakwriter09]

I was less than enthusiastic about the choir performance until I heard this song. This song was just incredibly amazing. Thank you for this inspirational piece of music. =D

[malchikcrazy09]

my favorite memory of this piece was the time we sang through this song just before this time...if you weren't crying then you didn't sing it right.

[Anja1246]

This was so fantastic to perform. I'm pretty sure it made everyone cry at least once. If any of you know how to get in touch with the soloist, Rebekah, I'd love to catch up with her, but I haven't been able to find her.

[TrumpeterFish]

I can't hold back my tears. Such beautiful, beautiful music! I cannot but feel happy when I hear this! I love this song!

I may not be in choir, but I am in the Cedar Park Marching Band and I absolutely adore all of the performing arts! You all are amazing!!!

[philly2chilly]

You guys sound great, but the song selection is very bad in my opinion. I was all state last 2 years, and the songs were way better. This is the best out of them all, and the others arent very wisely chosen...

[kwebb406]

i am so grateful to have been apart of something that sounded like this..

[mattm333]

i really wish that weekend never ended it was such an amazing experience

[cowsarefun3]

This Was my Favorite Song @ Yall Concert

It Put Me Into Tears from The Start

I Think All of Our Choirs Had Amazing Clinicians That Pushed us Until we Gave Them Our Best  -Greg B-1 Men's Choir

[purplecheetah72]

ahhhh

so beautiful :))

i miss san antonio... let's just all fly back, ok?

[callthepopo15]

i will never

ever

ever

ever

ever

ever

ever

forget this

ever....

i wanna go back

[Rayvillarreal1992]

i loved this experience so much. i will always cherish those moments :)

[ricamichele4]

omgosh i am so proud of this choir and to have been apart of it!!

[malchikcrazy09]

the full runthrough of this piece that we had before this funthrough was the BEST....that was when everyone cried.

[adoak32]

This song was by far the most powerful we sang. Whats funny is that we probably performed it better here than we did in the concert.

[pixiedust2260]

I remember how much this song affected us. I love it.

[weezroxb]

i was so lucky to have been in this. this is wonderful <3 i just cried.

[bkmustang07]

do you have videos of the other songs like cantate domino