Under the direction of Melissa Smith, the Friendswood Junior High Chamber Choir received the highest possible distinction of Sweepstakes at UIL Concert and Sightreading contest recently. This is a rating of superior from all six judges. The FJH choir earned this honor for the sixth consecutive year.

          The competition was held at the Clarion Theater at Brazosport College in Lake Jackson March 10.
          The Chamber Choir is made up of 36 seventh and eighth grade girls that earlier this year were honored with the distinction of 2010 TMEA Invited Performing Choir at the TMEA Convention in San Antonio. 
          For this contest, the girls performed three of their convention pieces, including one in German and one a cappella (without accompaniment).  All three judges in the Concert category gave glowing comments and each gave the girls' performance a superior rating.
          Following their performance onstage, the choir continued to the sight-reading category of the competition, where they performed a choral piece at first sight using solfege syllables and interval training.  Their impressive use of handsigns and auditation earned glowing comments and superior ratings from all three sight-reading judges as well, who requested an encore performance of their a cappella concert piece in the sight-reading room.