A look at the All-State Chorus process

By Heston M.

Being in the Iowa All-State Chorus is the highest accomplishment a high school singer can hope to achieve. On average, a student musician has an 18% chance of making it; however, Roland-Story goes to Indianola for auditions where all the Des Moines metro schools also audition. These schools are consistently good year after year which translates into tougher competition for RS students. It takes a lot of hard work and talent to be part of the chorus. It's a lengthy process that greatly improves the musician in many aspects with the end goal of making it into the All-State chorus. 

It all starts at Wartburg in early August where hundreds of singers go to learn the music over three days. After this, there are a few mini-camps during August around the area where surrounding schools get together to sing and keep getting better. This then leads into the school year where everyone in All-State rehearses together for about two weeks. Then comes the audition to audition.

Every school can only bring seven of every voice part, 28 in total. And because Roland-Story's vocal program is so talented, some have to be cut from the process to meet the 28-person requirement. So in early September, RS students audition to move on to the official All-State Audition.

Following the RS audition, students are assigned to quartets, which consists of a soprano, alto, tenor, and a bass. They begin to rehearse around four to five times a week with them. Some of these practices are with Mr. Stalzer; however, most are with just the quartet. Before you know it, it's October 31st: audition day. Students will audition for five minutes in front of a judge to prove they are better than the other hundreds of musicians. It's a day full of joy and tears; nevertheless, it's a great learning experience and greatly improves the musician.

Location: Story City, IA 50248, USA

Popular posts from this blog

Back in the Swing of Things: The Return of Roland-Story’s Jazz Band

By Mason S. The Roland-Story Jazz Band is gearing up for a year of swinging songs, soulful solos, and jaw-dropping performances. After placing 3rd last year at the Iowa Jazz Championships, this year's band has big shoes to fill, especially to keep the rich musical tradition alive and prove that they are one of the top ensembles in the entire state. Students have been working hard to perfect their musical selections, from big-band Jazz Standards to modern funk hits. Lead trombone player Bradey Haberl said, “I think this year's music is some of the best I’ve ever played. It's definitely my favorite by far, but it is also by far the most difficult music we have ever played. This increased difficulty in music is not without reason. The rhythm section currently comprises all returning players: Aubrey Britten on bass, Cael Vermeer on piano, Mason Schnurstein on guitar, with Ella Murphy and Eli Van Hove both on percussion. The rhythm section is the glue that keeps the band togethe...
Read more

Roland-Story at The Iowa Jazz Championships

By Bradey H. On April 2nd, the Roland-Story Jazz Band played at the Scheman Building in Ames for the annual Iowa Jazz Championships. After placing first at the SCIBA (South Central Iowa Band Association) Jazz Festival to qualify for the championships, the band continued participating in contests and practicing four times a week to improve for this performance. Just a few weeks earlier, the band had clinics with retired Southeast Polk band director Ted Hagan and Drake jazz professor Bob Meunier. Using the advice from these two experts, the band finished polishing the four pieces they were going to play for the championships. The songs to be performed were “Hipper by the Dozen” by Al Horney, “Chicken Scratch” by Kris Berg, “Sagebrush” by Annie Booth, and “Hit the Bricks” by Gordon Goodwin. The band had only performed “Sagebrush” once before, so a majority of the practice time was devoted to it. In the final days leading up to the event, the band’s director, Kevin Masemann, made the final...
Read more

The Road to State

By Kelsey J. We had been preparing for this one day for months. State came and went for the Roland-Story Jazz band. But it was the preparation leading up to it that mattered the most. The Roland-Story Jazz Band was set to compete on April 8th at 2:45 pm. The two weeks leading up to it were very stressful and filled with tons of practice. Between sectionals, full band practices, and clinics we were booked tight.  To be able to become better, you have to seek the help of the very best along the way. The Roland-Story Jazz band’s first clinic was with Bob Neunier. He came and listened to the band on March 31st. Bob is the Professor of Percussion & Director of Bands at Drake University, where he is the conductor of the wind symphony and director of percussion studies. The kids brought him in to help give tips and advice to the band. With his elite skill set, he helped to lock in the rhythm with the rest of the band. He gave new ideas and insights on how we could take our band from g...
Read more