By Clarissa Olson Posted April 26, 2019
On April 6, music Christian students Christian Olson and Stacey Horton attended NMEA All-State Convention at UNLV. Both were accepted into the All-State Choir, along with Frankie Baumeister.
“The auditions are difficult,” said Olson. “They test every skill that a singer needs and it takes work to prepare for the audition.”
Acceptance into any of the All-State groups is a huge honor.
“Especially coming from a small town, it’s very hard to get into,” said Horton. “A lot of Vegas people come in because they have a lot more experience.”
The stiff competition and high expectations that come with being an All-State musician don’t disappear after the audition process.
“When you first get there, you have this singing test where they pick excerpts of different songs to see if you know them,” said Horton. “If you don’t know them, they’ll call you back, and if you don’t know your music by then, they’ll cut you.”
Being a part of an All-State group is a rewarding experience vastly different than the local honor groups.
“All-State choir is much more competitive, but the choir is much larger and well rounded than any other choir such as our own or an audition choir such as honor choir,” said Olson. All-State gives you the chance to perform in an amazing and powerful group and helps you advance your own abilities as a musician.”
Horton cited the passion and ability of the choir as a defining attribute of the convention.
“When we sang ‘When We Came in the Sky’…It was a very passionate song and we got the entire audience to sing with us,” said Horton.
In moments like this, Horton and Olson were able to recognize the true meaning behind what they do.
“The hours of rehearsal teach you a great deal, but it is the reaction you get from the audience the day of the performance that makes you remember all the hard work you put in,” said Olson.
