Niwot High School choir students attend All-State event in Denver

Thirteen choir students from Niwot High School had the unique experience of attending a special All-State Choir event held annually in Denver. On Feb. 8-10, the best junior and senior students from across the state had the opportunity to work with clinicians and spend most of their time, morning to evening, in rehearsals, with the final performance on the last day, Feb. 10, at 4:00 p.m. at the Buell Theatre.

This year, the 2024 All-State Choir saw 1,717 students from across Colorado audition, with only 636 members accepted. St. Vrain Valley School District sent 52 students from across all eight high schools in the district. NHS choir members included Hayden Baldwin, Rori Ann Barchers, Kennah Brackett, Kaiya Brown, Jackson Carano, Olivia DeRose, Anna Enssle, Alex Fick, River Osgood, Hazel Rinehart, Greta Stauch, Sara Taylor, and Fred Zorgdrager.

Janay Bird, the Fine Arts Director for SVVSD, said that "unlike athletics, students from each school, regardless of classification, complete (their) rigorous auditions" for the three-day conference which "culminates in a wonderful, celebratory concert of their hard work." Students must audition with a classical solo of their choice and must demonstrate their knowledge of scales, triads, and intervals that must be identified by the students.

Additionally, sight-reading is a big part of the audition. Part of the audition process includes reading and identifying melodies and rhythms on the spot. Judges then select students based on their proficiency in performance and knowledge of music theory.

NHS student Greta Stauch said that "working with the clinicians ends up being incredibly educational and the experience provides exposure to some of the most committed musicians in the state."

Stauch identified the highlight of the event as the "balcony sing." The "balcony sing" is when all the students from every choir stand on the balconies inside the Embassy Suites in Denver (where most students stay for the weekend) and perform one song for the audience below. "The hotel has seventeen stories," added Stauch "so you can imagine standing on the 15th floor and singing down into the large chamber that makes up the center of the hotel."

Kennah Brackett shared the same sentiment regarding the "balcony sing" at the end of the second day. Brackett said another favorite experience was "spending time with all my friends as well as making many new ones-everyone is so kind." Brackett especially enjoyed the time spent eating together with the other singers during breaks because everyone got to grow even closer together as friends. "All of it is very magical," concluded Brackett.