October 30, 2007 -- When Colleen Holroyd auditioned for the New York State School Music Association's (NYSSMA) All-State vocal evaluations last spring, she didn't expect to earn a perfect score. "I figured I'd get a 94," said the Duanesburg High School junior. "My mom was excited that I got a 100." Although Holroyd had never participated in NYSSMA evaluations before, she prepared for her audition with the highest level solo, Level VI, from NYSSMA's approved repertoire. "Because of her musical background, I knew Colleen would be successful at this level," said music teacher Mira Ordon. "She worked really hard to reach the perfection she obtained on her NYSSMA solo." With a perfect score, Holroyd gained an automatic recommendation to perform at the NYSSMA All-State Conference. She will represent the Duanesburg Central School District as part of the All-State Women's Choir in Rochester in late November. It is quite an honor for Holroyd to be chosen for this festival, which draws from the entire state of New York. She was selected from more than 7,000 New York State high school juniors and seniors who auditioned. Holroyd is one of only two Duanesburg students to earn this honor in the past 20 years. Emalie Savoy was the other student to receive this honor in 2000. As far as the performance is concerned, Holroyd said she is looking forward to the experience and just wants to have fun. Holroyd credits her talent to her family’s musical roots--singing with her sister and mother in church when she was younger. Her parents often joke that she has been singing since before she even learned to talk. Currently a member of Duanesburg's select and high school choirs, Holroyd also takes voice lessons from Ordon and participates in drama club. On Nov. 2-4, she will appear as Glinda and Auntie M in the Duanesburg Players production of “The Wizard of Oz.” “Colleen is a very talented musician," said Ordon. "She is a terrific fiddle player as well as a wonderful singer and sight reader." Holroyd already has her sights set on Amherst, Skidmore or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she plans to be involved in the drama department as well as study anthropology or bio-medical engineering. According to Holroyd, she fell in love with genetics during a DNA unit in the seventh grade and hopes to continue her studies at college examining the relationship between genes, culture, traits and other variables.

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