This Wednesday, April 19, senior Ali Bube, junior Nora Lowther and senior Dahlia Wolfe will head to all-states at the Kalahari resort. Bube and Lowther will represent MT in all-state orchestra, and Wolfe will represent MT in all-state chorus. 

To attend all-states, the musicians passed three rounds of auditions. After auditioning for and attending district festivals, they auditioned for regionals. All three made regionals, which allowed them to audition for all-states. Finally, they made all-states through high placement in their auditions. 

Chorus director Mrs. Haldeman considers making all-states a significant achievement because of the high level of competition and short time between the festivals. 

“It’s a demonstration of your musicianship because you have a shorter time to learn [the music], so you have to pick it up faster, and the competition is really tight at the top,” Haldeman said. 

The musicians were also impressed by the skill of their competitors, and were surprised to have made all-states. 

Wolfe felt shocked and pleased when she learned she made all-state chorus. “It was incredible. I was honestly surprised because there are so many talented people that do these festivals, but it was really validating to see that a lot of my hard work on music and my voice was starting to pay off,” Wolfe said. 

Making all-state orchestra also amazed Bube. “When I was younger I had always looked up to the people who made it to all-states, and it’s crazy to think that now I’m going too,” she said.

Additionally, the musicians feel they have benefited from attending districts and regionals on their way to all-states. 

Lowther appreciated the opportunity to play with skilled musicians and in different types of ensembles. “From districts, the shock of being in such a big orchestra with so many kids that were all at my ability level or higher was a surprise to me,” she said. “Mostly you learn from the people you’re working with and playing with.”

Lowther also experienced orchestras of different sizes and makeups, and learned to play in each of them. “It’s helped me to be flexible and open minded about any ensemble I’ll be playing in in the future,” she said. 

Wolfe benefited from districts and regionals as well. “All the festivals I’ve gone to in the past have boosted my confidence and helped me grow as a musician,” she said. “I think that it has vastly transformed me as a musician already.” 

She also enjoyed singing in a sophisticated choir. “Singing with other people who love to sing and are happy to be there and are good at singing is so refreshing, and it is such a wonderful feeling to just do ensemble singing in such a refined manner,” she said.

For Bube, making all-states impacted her future. “Attending all-states is what made me want to pursue music in college,” she said. “This year I feel like I have grown my passion for violin more than ever and I know I don’t want a future without violin.”