Queen Creek High School freshman Destyni David was the first student from her school to earn a place in the Honor Choir Festival Concert as part of the ACDA Cantaremos Choir.
She is in the girls choir at Queen Creek High School and the choir director, Elizabeth Reynolds, asked her if she wanted to audition for the state honor choir, ACDA Cantaremos Choir. The choir is for students from fifth through ninth grade, and selected students perform in a one-day festival.
David auditioned for the choir and she was accepted. She performed at the festival in Chandler on Nov. 13.
"It was exciting to get to see Destyni sing with students from across the Valley,” said Reynolds. “She had to work very independently to learn her music prior to the event but being able to sing together with students from so many different districts was a rewarding experience that is so different than our daily classroom experience at our own school.”
Her mom, Quaquita Brown, said the two of them used to sing duets together and David showed musical talent from a young age.
“There was a time when she was in second or third grade we were sitting at home and listening to random beats. Destyni sang a song for five minutes off the top of her head, just freestyle songs on the beat. It was the best freestyle I could ever hear from a 6 or 7 year old. That’s when I knew she had talent.”
David remains passionate about music.
“She sings all day every day, all the time,” said Brown.
When David got a keyboard for Christmas, she taught herself how to play it and sing along.
She can sing both soprano, the highest voice type, and alto, the lowest voice type.
David said she likes every musical genre.
“I like all music, anything that catches my attention,” she said, adding that she especially enjoys Beyoncé’s music and likes the singer’s vocal range.
Brown said she tries to encourage her daughter’s musical talents.
“She taught herself to play different songs on the keyboard, she taught herself to sing along with the music, and that’s hard. It’s something the average person can’t do,” Brown said. “I encourage her, and I try to get her to keep moving forward.”
In addition to the keyboard, David is learning how to play the guitar and she wants to try the violin. She has also been writing her own lyrics since she was in second or third grade.
In the future, David plans to continue her musical pursuits.
“I want to make music with the piano and the violin. I want to make beats and lyrics and perform them.”
