Del Mar College Choir Camps offer early opportunity for high school singers to work on 2026 TMEA All-State Audition repertoire
Article by: Richard Guerrero, Jr. For young Coastal Bend singers, the long road to potentially earn a spot with one of four All-State choirs begins at Del Mar College (DMC). The honor includes performing during the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Clinic and Convention at the Henry B. González Center in San Antonio early next year. This week (June 30-July 3), the college’s Music Department is hosting the TMEA All-State Choir Camp for small schools, which consists of 40 students from smaller high schools in the area––including A.C. Jones (Beeville), La Feria Early College (La Feria), Sinton and Tuloso-Midway high schools. The Small School Choir Camp will wrap up with a free concert in Richardson Performance Hall this Thursday, July 3, at 4 p.m. The performance is open to the public. For more information, contact the DMC Music Office at 361-698-1211 or music@delmar.edu. Last week, the department held its Large School Choir Camp for 90 students who attend King, Ray, Carroll, Moody, Miller, Veterans Memorial, Gregory-Portland, Calallen, Shoemaker (Killeen), United (Laredo) and Donna North high schools. Home-schooled students from Bridgeway Academy also attended the camp. The camps are designed to prepare students for the 2026 TMEA All-State Choir audition process according to Dr. Mirae Lee, DMC Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities. In addition to serving as camp director, Lee also conducts the full choir each week for the camp concert finale. In addition to the Music faculty member, nine current and retired high school choir directors as well as DMC Music students help run the camps. During the Large School camp, students participated during an online session with guest clinicians Dr. Shekela Wanyama and Dr. Marcela Molina, both from the 2026 TMEA All-State Choir. Campers were provided a sneak peek at the All-State Choir repertoire, which was released in May. Early preparation during the college’s camps will serve students well as they prepare for the audition process, which consists of four stages: District, Region, Pre-Area and Area. The camps also offer sight-reading sessions, which are required for the TMEA audition, as well as diction classes, vocal health instruction and vocalization practice. Dr. Lee notes that Del Mar College is the only institution in South Texas offering this unique opportunity to small school students. “These activities are designed to help students better understand the vocal system and improve their singing skills,” she says. However, the camps are not all work. Campers participate in fun team-building activities throughout the week. Dr. Carla Gamez-Vela, DMC Assistant Professor of Kinesiology and Intermural Sports Director, leads a line-dancing session, and campers can take part during other activities such as karaoke, a talent show and a mini-Olympics event, along with a pool party with pizza and an ice cream social. “Our camps allow students to stay musically engaged over the summer, strengthening their skills and preparing for the All-State audition process. It’s a unique blend of focused training and fun, led by local passionate educators,” Dr. Lee says. “I’m proud that Del Mar College is an institution that supports the dreams of local students, and I’m honored to contribute to that mission by helping camp participants grow, achieve and stay inspired.”
