Arts All Stars: Tianna and Georgina

Recently, Tianna Soto and Georgina Ishak had six consecutive days of singing in concerts. They are members of the Ladies in Red a cappella group and the NC State Chorale, which means they perform in plenty of concerts, festivals, and choir shows. They recently sang for Ladies in Red, performed at Mu Beta Psi’s A Cappella fest, and sang in chorale performances at two churches. The dedication and passion that these two girls have for music is inspiring.

Tianna is a junior double-majoring in Psychology and Spanish Language & Literature. For her, being involved in music and the performing arts has become second nature. She plays piano, alto saxophone, and was a part of her high school honors choir. She has also performed in plays and musicals at the high school and college levels. Today, she is a member of the NC All-State Chorus and NC Honors Chorus, as well as serving as the music director of the Ladies in Red. Her level of involvement requires a lot of motivation and time management.

Tianna said, “Music holds the incredible power to heal and transform people. So, in addition to performing music for enjoyment, I view it as a way to connect and communicate with others.”

I attended the NC State Chorale performances at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and at Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte, NC, and Tianna’s statement is completely correct. The chorale’s singing and song choices were captivating, and I felt a connection to them. Their performances are a form of communication just as much as they are a form of entertainment.

Georgina is a junior majoring in Human Biology with a minor in Nutrition. She had the honor of receiving the Amelia E. Hunter Choral Leadership Scholarship, a new scholarship given by Jack M. Hunter, Jr., who wishes to support excellence in choral music.

She said, “I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember. I’ve been in chorus since the 5th grade, joined the a cappella world in college, and I also play piano and played violin when I was younger.”

Georgina serves as the president of the Ladies in Red and hopes to join a chorus or a cappella group when she graduates. She says that her main form of time management is making lists because they’re a great way to organize and accomplish goals within a busy schedule.

Tianna and Georgina, as well as many of the a cappella and chorus members, devote their time to these activities without majoring or minoring in music. Their dedication to excelling is a noteworthy achievement. Recently, they also recorded songs and learned how to mix and produce music, which added to their musical experiences.

The Ladies in Red have just released their EP “Life of a Lady.” To learn more about the Ladies in Red, visit their website www.ladiesinredncsu.com or search for them on Facebook.