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On Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, Atlantic High School hosted the choir and band all-state auditions. These auditions happen annually, with Atlantic hosting the event for many years.
The event is an all-day commitment, with participants arriving at the school as early as 5 a.m. and not leaving until results are posted around 8 p.m. Over 200 teachers, volunteers, judges, and participants crowd into Atlantic High School. Groups and individuals can be seen practicing in any open space including hallways, the gym, and outdoors all preparing for a long, stressful day.
Over the years, band director Jarrod O’Donnell has had numerous students make it into the All-State band. This year, three band students qualified for All-State, those being sophomore Grace Mitchell on French Horn, junior Drayce Moore on Clarinet, and senior Nicole Middents on Clarinet.
Furthermore, the choir department succeeded with All-State auditions, with one choir student qualifying for All-State. Senior Genevieve McCalla qualified as a Soprano 1. The 2023-24 school year is choir director Mikayla Stockhaus’ first year teaching at AHS, and she is thrilled to have had one of her students qualify for All-State.
McCalla said that there was extra stress on the results of the contest this year. She explained that making it to All-State her sophomore was the “icing on the cake” of a fun experience, but not achieving it again her junior year raised the stakes for her senior year. McCalla is grateful for all of the experiences that All-State has given her. “All-State really helped me blossom as a musician in that it helped me open my eyes and think, ‘Hey, maybe I’m okay at this.'”
Many other students tried out for All-State. Junior Dani Bennett has auditioned three times and feels like she has become familiar with the craziness of the day and the work involved to get there. “Each time I finish the process, I feel that my singing capabilities always increase,” said Bennett. “I become more confident in not only myself but also the abilities of other people within my groups.” Bennett took a huge step forward this year by getting recalled. She did not receive a recall in her freshman or sophomore years, so it was encouraging for Bennett to see this improvement. “Even though I still have not gotten the final outcome I wish for every year, I enjoy the whole process from beginning to end.”
