Norse News

By Ryan F. On Tuesday, October 14th, Roland-Story choirs had their first vocal concert of the year, directed by Landon Stalzer. This concert featured our bass choir, treble choir, mixed choir, Thors Men, and Valkyries. Our choir worked very hard leading up to this concert, and it went very well. We had the pleasure of getting to work with two prestigious choir conductors, Allen and Dennis, and they were a huge help in getting our choirs ready for our performance. Our mixed choir sang three songs: Insanae et vanae curae, I am Glad, and Yotin. Our bass choir sang two songs, Bonse Aba and Beatti. Our Thors Men sang When the Earth Stands Still and our Valkyries sang Golden Hour. A few of these songs featured soloists; for example, in Bonse Aba, our bass choir had two soloists featured, Levi Britten and Alex Watson. Lucy Schmidt was our soloist in the song Yotin, and Jenna Birkland was our soloist in the song I am Glad. Our accompanist for this concert was Laurel Mizerak, who took over the ...

By Kara P. “WELCOME THE ROLAND-STORY MARCHING BAND,” boomed Kevin Masemann, as the band took the field for the starting of the game. “Under the direction of Kevin Masemann, Jen Masemann flags, Drum Majors, Kelsey Johnson, Lily Brunchson, and Jullianne S.” But what led up to this? How did the band get to this point? Many times, behind the scenes, the kids you see are meeting at least eight times throughout the week to get ready. From early mornings to hot afternoon practices, they are working overtime to get the performance ready. These kids are a part of the hardest working group of kids, always showing up.  The morning of homecoming starts bright and early for the band. Rolling into the band room at 6:50, to begin marching on the streets at 6:55. Stepping everyone off to the start of the whistles, everyone is bustling with excitement and still a tiny bit tired. Three clicks are given and the band is off, marching through the streets, performing and practicing. They work through tu...

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...

By Brynn A. Nerves ran high and singers belted their hearts out under the stage lights as the Roland-Story Jazz Choir took to Dallas Center-Grimes High School to compete in the 2025 State Vocal Jazz Championships. Held on April 1, the competition is designed to showcase the very best vocal jazz ensembles that the state has to offer, with the competition in the 2A division better than it has ever been. After winning the championship the previous four years, pressure weighed down the shoulders of every performer in the group, but none of them faltered.  Roland-Story Vocal Jazz consists of 16 singers, as well as piano, percussion, and bass players. This year, our group was led by eight seniors, all of whom gave their everything to this ensemble in the last several months! Succeeding in the ensemble requires dedication to early Wednesday practices, as well as commitment to working during seminar and choir periods. There are typically only two people per part performing very difficult s...

By Lexi B. Spring break of 2025, the Roland-Story Marching Band got the thrilling opportunity to perform at Disney World in Orlando, Florida! The band hopped on a bus around 11 a.m. on March 16th and headed up to Minneapolis to take off on their flight to Orlando. This trip was not just a vacation, but an opportunity to showcase their talent by marching through the iconic Magic Kingdom on their first day there. The band was directed by drum major Kelsey Johnston. The band paraded down Main Street, the students felt excitement from performing in front of families and tourists, and creating memories that they will truly never forget.  In addition to their performance at Magic Kingdom, the band spent the rest of their days exploring the various attractions across Disney World. They visited Universal Studios, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot, getting to experience the truly magical feeling of Disney World. With lots of thrilling rides and enchanting shows, the students experienced some of ...

By Mason S. The Roland-Story Jazz Band is in full swing, preparing for the Jazz Championships. They are practicing after school, competing at competitions, and even bringing in university clinicians to work with the students to perfect the music ahead of this year's fierce competition. Their hard work is showing, especially at the most recent competition, the Blue Note Jazz Festival. Blue Note takes place at Waukee Northwest High School and is a new competition both in the state, and that Roland-Story has attended. With around 60 different jazz bands competing, it was an excellent opportunity to see other schools play and learn more about Jazz in general. Waukee NW also brings in a panel of incredibly talented musicians and music teachers to be the judges and clinicians for the bands. On top of that, Blue Note has different classes to take throughout the day to help musicians refine their skills in improvisation and rhythm section collaboration.  “Blue Note Festival is a massive co...

By Lily B. On March 7th and 8th, Roland-Story High School students performed their spring musical titled “Anything Goes.” The two shows were an outstanding success! Everyone has the privilege of seeing the actors out on stage, making the show a magical experience, but the crew often goes unnoticed. There are tons of different jobs on crew, such as costumes, hair and makeup, backstage, props, tech, and even stage managers. The work these kids put in isn’t seen the same as the dances and amazing dialogue. It is just as important to the show.  Props and Backstage work together to get the set ready for performance. This might include painting, building, or just finding the right props for the show. Backstage then moves everything for the scene changes during the show. Hair, makeup, and costumes work to make sure everyone looks well put together and cohesive. Without these people, the show would not come to life the way it does. Tech also goes above and beyond to ensure everyone gets th...

By Kara H. This year’s musical for Roland-Story High School is going to be Anything Goes! It takes place in the 1930’s on the ocean liner: S.S. American. This ocean liner is trying to be the best it could possibly be and have the most famous passengers compared to the others. The first passengers we see are a nightclub singer, Reno Sweeney (Lucy Schmidt), and a Wall Street broker named Billy Crocker (Luccas Hart). Along the way they meet two gangsters: Moonface Martin (John Craig) and Erma Latour (Kara Harding), who had also snuck onto the ship as a getaway. The audience also gets to meet Hope Harcourt (Aubrey Britten), who is about to get married to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh under the watchful eye of her mother, Mrs. Harcourt (Marissa Oetker)! This musical is full of laughter and jokes, surprise dance numbers, and numerous love stories that have to go through challenges and triumphs; you can’t miss it! The performances are on Wednesday, March 5th at 2:30 p.m. with general admission; Friday...

By Story G. A wonderful way to kick off the new year after winter break was with a performance by our Roland-Story Choir! The choir performed a range of challenging pieces, all conducted by our very own choir director, Landon Stalzer. The performers were divided into several talented groups: the Bass Choir, Treble Choir, Mixed Choir, Chamber Choir, Thor's Men, and Valkyries. The choir students practiced daily during the fifth period. During these practices, they warmed up with various vocal exercises, such as singing scales up and down the staff. After warm-ups, students sang their choir pieces and received feedback on aspects like dynamics, consonants, sound quality, and more. Practices typically lasted 25 minutes but could extend up to 50 minutes. The choir rehearsed for two months before performing the selected pieces. The concert opened with two outstanding songs performed by the Bass Choir. This group is open to any male student who selects choir as an elective. Their upbeat s...

By Kaylee K. On January 25th, Roland-Story entered four events into the district speech competition. District speech is the first of any of the speech competitions. The events entered were three short films and a readers' theater. There were 21 participating members and everyone one of them did a phenomenal job.  On the surface, speech sounds like a competition about just that: giving speeches. Speech certainly helps with public speaking, but there is a large variety of different events to participate in. Short film and radio broadcasting are recorded before the competition; it is simply a matter of presenting the material. One act and readers’ theater are often long, acted pieces with a large number of people. Speech is a great place to express yourself and meet new, interesting people. The day, like every speech competition, starts bright and early on a bus. District speech this year was at Des Moines East, so that is where the bus headed. When the group arrived at the competitio...

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...

By Isaac D. Every year before Christmas, staff and students work tirelessly to perform a breathtaking concert. The teachers often stay for hours after the school day is finished to help students improve the music. The Band Teacher, Mr. Maseman says, “All of the band students are doing a great job of preparing for the Winter Concert, which will feature the challenging selection: "The Polar Express.”  “The Polar Express” is a college level piece, containing the music from the movie of the same name. The band has worked hard perfecting it. Mr Stalzer, the choir teacher, is focusing on making this the best it can be. He directs the Bass, Mixed, and Treble choirs, and has them learn songs that are sure to take your breath away, along with using an unusual instrument, wine glasses! Thor’s Men and the Valkyries are student lead singing groups that will be performing. Thor”s men will be performing an interesting twist on a classic Christmas song. As you can tell, the concert is going to b...

By Kara H. On November 8th and 9th, the Roland-Story Fall Play cast and crew performed the show Humbletown: The Greatest Town on Earth, with lots of success! This year’s fall play was a comedy that was about a small town named Humbletown and how it came to be, alongside many other fun little adventures and events.  The show was told through two contradicting narrators, Jenny and Old-Timer, who were played by Rylee Wolff and John Craig. These characters were constantly found bickering and making nonsense of the history of Humbletown, resulting in the play telling its history a little differently than what is to be expected. One scene that had this was over The Great Depression, but was known as The Great Saddysaddysadtime in the play. Here we got to see different characters arguing on where to put their money and investments, as well as who they should blame for all their troubles. They ended up blaming a Scapegoat, played by Max Koppes, that was a goat who had a sign saying “Scapeg...

By Kaylee K. Colorguard, or Flags, is generally something that would be categorized as a team activity. However, in some instances it can be an individual pursuit. On October 24th, the Roland-Story Colorguard sent four soloists to Pella to perform their solos. This was where the qualifying round for state flags, run by ISDTA, was held.  Soloists Maddie Templeton, Lexi Butler, Kaylee Koppes, and Brooklyn Richardson all put together a routine. Each contestant carefully crafted and perfected their solos over months of practice. All this practicing happens while also preparing for team events, parades, and halftime performances. As a result, solos can be a very stressful endeavor, and yet, each soloist pulled it together flawlessly. Every small detail of a solo is chosen by the individual. The costume, the flag silk, the music, the choreography. All of the various parts are what make the solo so unique to the person. The four solos that went to Pella each chose a different style. Maddi...

By Brynn A. There was excitement in the air on the morning of October 26, as 22 singers from the Roland-Story choirs made their way to Indianola to audition for the 2024 All-State choir.  The All-State audition process begins in August and consists of months of rehearsing in a group of one to four people. Each group sings a selected cut from five or six different songs in front of a judge and this lasts about five minutes. After the initial audition, singers can be recalled by the judge to sing on their own. Some others are not recalled and are accepted into the choir on just their group audition. Singing in this ensemble is one of the greatest honors a high school singer can achieve.  On Friday, the day before auditions, Mr. Stalzer stated, “I feel very confident that a lot of our students are going to have success, because they are very well prepared and a lot of them are looking forward to it.”  Senior Allison Tjaden remarked, “I think it went well, I was really confid...

By Kelsey J. We had been preparing for this competition for two weeks. We were ready. But, there was still that sense of nerves in the air. We could all feel it, no matter how tired we were. It was Saturday, October 5th, and it was the day of the Carroll Band Days. We woke up early that morning to load the buses and the trailer. It was a mad dash to make sure we had everything. We checked, and double checked to make sure that we had all that we needed. Then we all made sure we were on the bus and made our way to Carrol. Most people just slept on the bus or listened to music. We had to focus on what was ahead of us. The flag girls hurried to make sure all of their makeup and hair was complete. It was a very calm bus ride.  Then when we got to Carroll, we unloaded at Adams Elementary School where we could use the restroom and get dressed and ready for the performance. We first got all dressed, girls first then the guys. After that we helped to unload the trailer. We got the larger in...

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...

By Owen J. On March 2, the Roland-Story Jazz Band traveled to Waukee Northwest High School for the second annual Blue Note Jazz Festival. The jazz band has played a great year so far and had its best performance yet on Saturday. Competing against three 2A bands, Roland-Story finished first, with Des Moines Christian in second, West Marshall in third, and Van Meter in fourth. Along with the first place finish, Roland-Story received outstanding soloist awards for every soloist, which included: Aubrey Britten, bass; Wrigley Propp, bari sax; Mason Schnurstein, guitar; Brooke Thompson, trumpet; Aiden Tompkins, tenor sax; Samantha Warnick, flute; Caleb Watson, tenor sax; and the entire saxophone section. In this competition, the band added a fourth song to their set, "Sagebrush" by Annie Booth, a slower, contemporary piece that adds more variety. The other songs include "Hipper by the Dozen" by Al Horney, a swing piece, as well as "Chicken Scratch" by Kris Berg ...

By Evan V. Recently the Roland-Story Jazz Band performed at the Southeast Polk Festival at Southeast Polk High School on February 12. This was their third competition this year and by far their best performance at the time. The band won in 2A for the third year in a row maintaining their winning streak.  Every section in the Roland-Story Jazz Band won the Outstanding Section award, making each of them the best of their instrument out of every band competing. In addition, every soloist won an outstanding solo award. The soloists were Aubrey Britten, bass; Wrigley Propp, bari sax; Mason Schnurstein, guitar; Brooke Thompson, trumpet; Aiden Tompkins, tenor sax; Samantha Warnick, flute; and Caleb Watson, tenor sax.  A new addition to the itinerary this year was the “Masterclasses.” They were a set of clinics by talented and skilled musicians that focused on instruments instead of entire bands. For example, there was a Saxophone Masterclass, where all saxophone players from many dif...

By Lily E. In Large Group Speech, participants work in small or large groups to rehearse a piece, then perform it at a contest in front of judges and an audience. While called Large Group, those groups range in size from three to 15 people. Individual Speech does not officially begin until after Large Group speech, but participants in Individual Speech are already preparing for their independent performances. This year, there are around 15 students in Roland-Story’s Large Group Speech. Each week, these students meet for three hours to rehearse with their coaches, Mrs. Ferrell and Mrs. Hull. The different performances that they will be having this year are one readers theatre, two short films, two improv groups, and a group mime. The students have their first competition on January 20 at West Des Moines Valley. This is their district competition. If the teams get a Division 1 rating, then they get to advance to state competition on February 3 at Ankeny Centennial. Although Individual Sp...