"Homeland" - TMEA 2009 Texas All-State Choir, Symphonic Band & Orchestra

[Jennizzle234]

I loooovelovelovelove this song! The melody is absolutely gorgeous, and this orchestral rendition is so moving. Well done, choir!!! :D

[5emilylewis]

Wow. Goosebumps!

[ReplaKunt]

All All-State choirs are good. It's hardly fair to say that one is supreme to the others.

[gospelodmac]

I give this a thousand hand claps! well done TMEA!!! i cannot say i've heard this performed any better! my, my, my! my eyelids are giving weigh as tears begin to flow! wonderful!!!

[cbier90]

Some talented Highschool kids!



[xXKiSsxKoNtAgIoUsxX]

We sang this song during our schools Holocaust program, and there was not a dry eye in the room.

[GracellaLaMagica]

yo this shit is off the hook

[jhawkgiant77]

i did like this part from Jupiter's theme. but this. this is a whole new level.

[Live2Sing410]

I get chills every single time I listen to this song! The Texas All-State Choir did a fantastic job.

[TheDon10120]

I'm from PA and we have a very good choir program up here. But you guys just rocked this piece. Thank you for this beautiful performance and the upload so people as far away as i am can see it.

[JATD913]

ive sung this before and the addition of the orchestra really adds a lot of emotion to the song, the one complaint i have is the tenors and women seem to be either left out or overpowered a lot in the song other than that incredible

[ReplaKunt]

BASSES AT 2:25 HOLY CRAP

[jck1794]

ahhh, 3:00 never fails to give me chills

[undralique]

I'm from Texas and I will gloat that we do have the best in the nation.

[undralique]

I remember singing this in All-Region Mixed choir in 2004 in Texas. Man loved this song and Ave Maris Stella!

[TkFtrd1]

I performed this song with the Northern Kentucky University Honor choir where the local highschool kids all come together and sing as a part of the select group chosen by NKU I beleive we had slightly less than 200 kids involved it is an incredible piece!

[babblingmongoose]

"But the ruts run deep..." is seriously the most beautiful line in the entire song. So emotional. :)

[ujump411]

:) So beautiful. :) I'm singing this song in FCCC, and it is so hard and quite the work out but it's so worth it. :')

[Cookiemonster911ful]

This just plucked my heart strings and touched my soul

[oneonetwosix1126]

I stop breathing at 2:47 waiting for the Big Note...never fails to affect me!!!!!!!

[Ancalagon4554]

Zero dislikes. That's right.

[babblingmongoose]

@Ancalagon4554

Le Sigh. Someone just HAD to dislike it, after you said that! :P

[suki3275]

this brings back memories.

[cgchick27]

This was beautifully performed. I preformed this song when I was in youth choir 8 years ago and it made me tear up thinking about how wonderful this song is.

[jedipwnces]

This is fantastic...

[kinorobloodlust]

I came.

[electralovely]

@kinorobloodlust is that really necessary.

[jck1794]

3:00 ...just...wow....chills

[chinatwin15]

NO ONE OR NO OTHER ALL-STATE CHOIRS IN THE NATION CAN COMPARE TO THE TEXAS ALL-STATE CHOIRS (ESPECIALLY THE TEXAS ALL-STATE MIXED CHOIR)

[oneonetwosix1126]

@chinatwin15 Don't know how the experts rate Texas Choirs, but they certainly sound better than the ones posted on YOUTUBE that I have listened to....the amazing thing about the All-State Choir (Texas) is how really really great they sound with such short amount of time to prepare and rehearse....Perhaps college choirs, professional choirs, maybe even the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sound as good or better, but those choirs have been together a long time and rehearse many times before performing.

[robertetupper]

@oneonetwosix1126 Most kids spend months learning the music cold before competing for a coveted slot. When they get together, it's just to polish.

[01txguy]

Keep dreaming, steelvenom. I've heard both the MN and IA All-State choirs. The women (girls, I should say) sound like shrill little boys, it's unbalanced with way too much soprano, and the overall sound is immature and breathy. All very typical of a Midwestern choir (home of the "sing only from the neck up" sound) and very undesirable in all other parts of the country.

[oneonetwosix1126]

aT 3:01 Magnificent! Makes my hair stand up, my eyes tear! 

[oneonetwosix1126]

Chechboy007, yeah right! You can pull your head out now

[czechboy007]

no way....Chi-hi choir sang it as good as them...at least! :-)

[SiberianThunderT]

Goosebumps at 3:00

Nice. ^.^ I love this song.

[RazorbladeRachel]

Kentucky Honor Choir is doing this piece this year, and im in it. and 2:30 to 3:30 alomst makes me cry.

[hannahbrandon1]

@RazorbladeRachel omg, I was in the Northern Kentuckt Honor's Choir. We totally rocked that auditorium.

[Ichorose]

SPLENDID

[HerrProfessorDoktor]

This was the last meeting of TMEA that I attended before retirement from full-time teaching. Memories of my own student experiences many years ago, my love of Holst's magnificent music, and my knowledge that I was approaching the end of my long run as a teacher were more than I could really handle. It was one of the half-dozen or so most moving and memorable musical moments of my life.

[abbygail222]

AMAZING! SOOOO GOOD.

[shoot100strait]

soooo sooo good!

[iloveturtles3]

Were doing this veterans day! So Pretty!

[shoot100strait]

OH MY GOSH!!!! that was..... i dont even know wat to say! that was EPIC!!!!

[killer29209]

TENOR POWER!!!!!

[iLY0X8]

oh my gosh. i got chills and tears in my eyes. this was BEAUTIFUL.

[aLySaSpIvAk1]

Excellent!!! but one comment:

I could barely hear the sopranos except for the really high notes. They were a little drowned out by the men. So, something to be sure of.

but this really was excellent. :D

[tjschafe]

Almost cried. I support the troops!

[Muoiix3]

love how texas' choirs actually know how to decresendo and cresendo!! other states stay the same lol. LOVE TEXAS' choir!!!

[flyswatter2011]

Absolutely gorgeous. Gave me chills

[gphillip17]

Absolutely spectacular. I have never heard a better performance of this song.

[ImperfectlyPerfect2]

This was gorgeous. I'm also rather fond of the fact that the conductor chose to bring in only a few first sopranos near the very end of the song rather than have the entire section try to push the top note in the final chord. Personally, I think it was an excellent choice.

[adrianetteable]

Beautiful!

[adrianetteable]

Amazing.

[PeaceLovePercussion]

Singing this with group of people from my choir and alumni on Saturday at a funeral... We lost a loved singer of ours, and this was his favorite song. Such a beautiful piece with so much meaning to me. <3

[mickeyj75]

@PeaceLovePercussion i will be sing there with you <3 kris

[suki3275]

i think i see a few people i know in here :o

it started out slow but the middle part was incredible!

[sweetheart8394]

Go Texas! (:

Ya'll "beasted" it, as we say 'round here.

That was pretty splendid. Great job!

[JessieJay13]

my school sang this last year!!! <3 <3 <3 this song!!

[rockprincess38]

not enough woman -- No melody

[CarlynotCraly]

The sound is great, but I think that the beginning is a little slow.

[01txguy]

Best performance ever. The Texas All-State choir is absolutely the best in the nation.

[JessieJay13]

nuh-uh!!! FLORIDA All-State choir is obviously the best!! ( <3 )

[xXinsanity92Xx]

@JessieJay13 You clearly haven't heard NJ All State =)

[steelvenom2003]

@01txguy Calm down. Iowa, Minnesota, and Illinois are all as good as Texas.

[FullofAwesomeness101]

WOW!

[alyssacroacia]

Stunning! I was just listening to The Planets... :)

[blazilfrazil2]

after i performed this i fell in love with it, couldnt get it out my head

[ErinArroz]

Amazing! Oklahoma's all-state is singing this this year.

[datboiq10]

I really liked singing this song with everyone. I wish they would've let us keep the music LOL TMEA 09

[monochromaticpurple]

I actually still have the music from a few years ago (granted it's only S.S.A. )

[MistaTwigz]

My college choir did this accompanied by the brass ensemble and a stirring video of images of Iraq War trrops. This video almost equals the sound of a college choir.

[bnredraider]

is that director who i think it is? mr shawn bell!?

[RandomGurlz00]

this song is so powerful. i almost started crying on stage when we sang it.

[undralique]

Brings back memories of all-region. We did this song in my junior year of mixed choir.

[blazilfrazil2]

i wish i was there, id have been the happiest singer there

[billyjskl]

BREATHTAKING AND BEAUTIFUL When you guys rally after "The ruts run deep" part I about cried! :-D you guys are amazing!

[FruityDolly]

sung this for choir ;D

On the 13th.

[EscapeTheFateCRAIG]

That's just a little conceded, hm?

[JessieJay13]

do you mean conceited? (not being rude, just wondering)

[bigw2012]

I would be estatic to be in a choir like this. I have pre area this tuesday. I made 3rd at region, so we'll see what happens......

[nofattyindapatty]

wow, this is epic, haha puts my choir to shame when we sang this! XD

[regincredible]

beautiful rendition!!! These are very talented young people. :)

I hope to sing as well as they do, someday.

[Rayvillarreal1992]

May TMEA live forever :')

[oneonetwosix1126]

Wow! Breathtaking!

[witcherdude]

My Choir director was in the audience for this and she said it gave her goosebumps, we are now singing this song for our community's Veterans Day Program!

[SLSX420]

this is one of my fondest memories of tmea. it's not every day that you get to play in this kind of a group.

[rnbfan16]

Proud member of this performance :D

[hiphopman610]

I sang this song when I was in All County in New York and I was 1st Tenor and we didn't have an orchestra,you guys were good!

[klins061]

This is a very nice arrangement for the piece. I heard this when the women's choir performed it for 2007 Oregon All State. The one thing they did that I liked better and I would've changed was on the words "Humans fail, systems fail". Instead of being legato and quiet there, be loud and accent them. I think the interpretation is supposed to sound cynical there, not dismal. We cannot rely on humans to band together and succeed, this is the harsh reality instead of the nostalgic ideal.

[oneonetwosix1126]

And, almost 100% of all important and vital accomplishments have been the results of humans banding together...I'm guessing you are very very young and have not seen much of the world...you are waaaaaaaay too cynical for such a young age.

[witcherdude]

As A Texas Choir Member myself i understand the importance of making the all state choir or all state band. My school is one of the most talented in our region and we never have anyone make the all state choir, and we have one make the all state band every year..none the less as a choir person in the state of texas there is no higher honor than to make the all state band/choir

[babblingmongoose]

but with this arrangement, the sadness of those words is emphasized, which in turn makes the remainder of the song more powerful.

[oneonetwosix1126]

Starting to tear up!!!!! Gorgeous!

[oneonetwosix1126]

W O W !

[rapidd9]

oooooh i'm aiming towards the all-state choir in my freshman year ^-^

[abchangk]

wow. this is piece is really good. and this orchestra and the choir made it happen. the part at 3:00 was one of my favorite part through out the song.

[jordanmonstermurdoc2]

i am soo amazed by this choir and this ochestra it is so beautiful. and that descant part at the end amazing powerfull and beautiful. if u were in this choir under this mans direction u should be extremely proud of your self. and the bass1's and bass2's outstanding im a bass 1 and i would kill to sing this song at my school. once again fantastic job. every one of you and expecially the those soprano 1's that are apparently freaks of nature.

[littletambo]

I was 1st Chair Bass 2 in this Choir.  It WAS amazing.

[Anja1246]

I loved doing this. It was so amazing. I didn't even mind getting up early or all the practice or anything. It was just amazing

[LegitxAsian]

Wow. I wish we played this instead of Battle Hymn of the Republic. This is much more emotional.

[megatron121212]

wow they are really good

i went to tmea this year and it was incredible

[cadetkevin]

my highschool's symphonic band and orchestra plays this song with the choir at our graduation ceremonies every year.

And it's epic, not to show off but our music program has one year after year, national gold festivals sweepstakes grand champion. But I digress.

Most schools play other patriotic songs commonly heard especially, Battle Hymn of the Republic or some shit like that. But our school always plays this song. Oh and this allstate group is epic at singing it too. Nice job all of you!

[megansoad16]

wow wow;; I hope I make All State band;;; It's bee my goal for three years; im a 8th grader; im going as a freshman for experience, I know i dont have a chnace now lol but one day i will. i want to be a part of something amazing like this. texas has amazing musicians and directors!

[cowsarefun3]

You shouldn't say you don't have a chance everyone has a chance it just comes down to who wants it the most. One of my roommate for all state this year was a freshman trombone player so it possible

[starofthewesttuba]

i had the same plan, and fufilled my late band directors wish- to make all-state as a freshman on tuba and hopefully all four years- anything is possible

[mwdot12]

You can do whatever you say you will do, kiddo, it can definitely happen with practice!

[latias1997]

my daughters choir is doing this and it is a middle school choir i thought only high schools did this it is a really hard song my daughter says

[pixygiggler]

we are going to perform this BUT THIS IS TOO AMAZING

[kwebb406]

i still cant believe i was a part of thissssssss

[starofthewesttuba]

i was in concert band this year- tuba 7(i'm gonna practice my chair music this year :) that stage is puny- we had 10 tubas and we were staggered across the stage- i kept bumping into the timpini :) good times- cant wait for the next three years!

[sohappyhere]

This is so beautiful. I love the way it starts building at 2:52 and then just explodes at 3:02. My heart stops every time right there. Amazing!

[teachman02]

wow...this was a really moving piece of music. you guys did texas proud.

[GPDL09]

i am so blessed and honored to have been in THIS group.. at THIS time..

[Between3and25]

Whenever i hear this, i try to sing along but end up crying

[terrythetart]

They are such amazing musicians and people. God Bless them all and see them succeed in their college music careers.

[RashanDaThrowedStepa]

everyone that sang and played with me that day , i love you all , -marcus-

[RangerLovingLonghorn]

As lame as this is going to sound, I sang this song in a Metroplex Honor Choir of sorts way back in middle school with help of a local high school. Of course, that does not compare to this wonderful performance of it. I enjoyed it and have always liked this piece. Well done, guys.

[Moraceleste09]

I love this song. We should of performed in at the concert. I miss everyone : (

[whateverfin]

I was in this ensemble! 1st horn!

[dad7403]

the *only* thing which could make it better is more bass clarinet

[rnbfan16]

l LOVED this piece..shame we couldn't perform it at the real concert. I just realized how moving it is.

[creekband09]

The most wonderful experience of my life, not only because my Timmy played, but it was incredible to see so much talent, dedication and hard work among our children. Keep it up! you're our future and we love you.

[timcmillan10]

This was probably my most favorite piece we performed

I never get to perform with a orchestra much less choir and it couldn't get any better than with the States best

I'll never forget this

[pulena51]

Homeland was my ultimate favorite piece of all times until Hard Times made us cry in rehearsal; then there was a tie. I loved to sing these two songs and I was sad when they took the Homeland score sheet away from us right after that concert... :(

[IhaveaCstring]

My all-state orchestra played this!!!!!

[texastechnichols15]

we sung this last year in my choir...Permian High

[malchikcrazy09]

wow! I didn't expect to see this on here. This was actually one of my favorite pieces that we worked on. We totally should have sang it at the concert.

[RobLobstuhh]

holy crap this piece is unexpected. it brought tears to my eyes.

[ktlady623]

Thanks! It was such an honor to sing with this amazing choir. I'll never forget it, and I hope I make it again next year!!! :)

[MikeysMark]

man this is crazy good! wish i had been there to experience that sound. really impressive--well done!