Music is a major part of Emma Creason's life, and now the Elizabethtown Area High School senior will get to showcase her talents on a national level. She'll be representing Pennsylvania in the Organization of American Kodaly Educators (OAKE) National Conference Choir at OAKE's national conference in Jacksonville, Fla., in March.

Emma learned about the national choir during an internship she had in Nicole Witman's music class at East High Street Elementary School. "One day, Mrs. Witman told me about this audition opportunity and said that she'd help me prepare to submit my video audition," Emma recalled. "I just thought, 'I want to audition and see what happens.' I thought it was a long shot and just thought it would be worth a try."

For the audition, Emma had to sing a variety of complicated patterns using solfege, the language vocalists use to indicate pitch. "It was really hard because I had to memorize all the notes and sing in a cappella with no accompaniment," she said. "I also had to sing 'America the Beautiful' a cappella to demonstrate musicality."

Emma found out she had been selected when she received an email in November. "I remember being so shocked and excited," she said. "I immediately told my family I made it and called my grandparents and extended family. ... I remember having this moment where I kind of reflected on the fact that I'm a nationally ranked vocalist. I still have to pinch myself when I remember that I'm representing all of Pennsylvania."

The National Conference Choir is part of the annual OAKE national conference, which features programs from educators, clinicians and conductors, culminating in a performance from the students who have been selected to be part of the choir.

Emma is no stranger to winning accolades for her vocals. She has ranked among the top five vocalists twice in PMEA's All-District Choir, PMEA's All-Region Choir and the LLMEA All-County Choir. She will audition for All-State honors at the regional festival later this spring. Emma sings alto 2 in the festival and competitive circuits as well as in concert choir at school, but in the school's Chamber Choir, she sings tenor.

She said she's loved music all her life. Her parents, Joseph and Jennifer Creason of Elizabethtown, have told her stories about how she learned the words and music to complex songs as a young child. "Singing in the most emotional form of music making there is, because you are using your voice, not a separate instrument," Emma stated. "There's a vulnerability there that makes it such a moving experience for the singer and the audience. People are so profoundly impacted by singing in a way that is unique to vocal performance."

As she prepares to graduate this spring, Emma is planning to continue to pursue her passion for singing as a music therapist, focused on young children. "I love music therapy because it's health care ... just using music as a tool to heal," she remarked. "I've been volunteering at Masonic Health Care Center's music therapy program, and I absolutely love it."