On Jan. 25, talented Antioch Community High School choir singers junior Marshall Gehrke and senior Reddy Heilig made their way to Peoria to perform in the Illinois Music Education Association All-State Honors Choir performance. These musicians have worked tirelessly this year to get a chance at this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, making history for the ACHS Choir program as they are the first ever to be invited.
“No teacher has ever been able to get across to me like he can. He is great and always ensures we don’t miss out on an opportunity.”
— Junior Marshall Gehrke
Both singers have been performing since they were in middle school. They both started choir in sixth grade and have drastically improved their abilities since then with the help of their choir teacher, Michael Hickey. Gehrke and Heilig said that they would not be where they are today if it wasn’t for his guidance.
“I don’t think anyone could have convinced me to go to Peoria besides him,” Heilig said. “He’s inspiring, he’s motivating and he actively supports us no matter what, wanting us to chase after what we want.”
“We know that he wouldn’t put us in a situation that would not benefit us in the long run,” Gehrke said. “No teacher has ever been able to get across to me like he can. He is great and always ensures we don’t miss out on an opportunity.”
The overall ILMEA All-State Honors Choir performance for these talented musicians was incredibly stressful. With two days straight of 10-plus hour-long rehearsals consisting of only a one-hour break in between each rehearsal set, the young singers were exhausted by the time they reached performance Saturday night. Even though their performance and the preparation going into it were physically and mentally taxing, the experience was extremely positive for Gehrke and Heilig. It gave them a great opportunity to take part in something they had never done before while also testing their skills and endurance.
So, what is next for our ACHS Honors Choir performers? Gehrke and Heilig have been working on perfecting their skills in performing for their up-and-coming performances for ACHS. With help from each other, Hickey, and the rest of the performing arts choir program, the boys will be performing their last performance this year on May 9, 2024.
Be sure to show your support to Gehrke and Heilig for all of the hard work and dedication that went into their amazing accomplishment.
