West Fargo, ND – (February 16, 2021) – The North Dakota Music Education Association has selected students from the district’s three high schools to be among those students from across the state to participate in the All-State Music Festival in Bismarck on March 20 – 21.

ALL-STATE STRING ORCHESTRA

The North Dakota All-State String Orchestra will be conducted by Dr. Thomas Dickey, the Director of Orchestral Studies at Oklahoma State University and the second-place winner of the 2019 Mozart & Tchaikovsky International Conducting Competition. West Fargo Public Schools students selected to perform in the 2021 All-State String Orchestra include:

String Bass

• Jordan Cossette, Horace High School
• Miranda Halvorson, Horace High School

Cello

• Cole Shotley, Sheyenne High School
• Hannah Norton, West Fargo High School

Viola

• Grace Widjaja, Sheyenne High School

Violin 1

• Zoe Vetter, Sheyenne High School
• Gracie Erickstad, Sheyenne High School

Violin 2

• Luke Steiner, West Fargo High School
• Lindsy Noyes, Sheyenne High School
• Allison Sterling, Sheyenne High School
• Sherry Yan, Sheyenne High School

ALL-STATE JAZZ BAND

The North Dakota All-State Jazz Band will be directed by Mr. Mike Tomaro, the Director of Jazz Studies at Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University and co-artistic director and lead alto player of the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra. West Fargo Public Schools students selected to perform in the 2021 All-State Jazz Band include:

Bari Sax

• Isabelle Jipson, Sheyenne High School

ALL-STATE BAND

The North Dakota All-State Band will be directed by Dr. Scott Jones, professor of music and Associate Director of Bands in the School of Music at Ohio State University. West Fargo Public Schools students selected to perform in the 2021 All-State Band include:

Members

• Rachel Knudson, West Fargo High School
• Miranda Zeien, Sheyenne High School
• Katelyn Fitterer, West Fargo High School
• Maximus Reed, Sheyenne High School
• Carter Gill, Sheyenne High School
• Alison Janes, Sheyenne High School

Flute 1

• Victoria Steffen, Sheyenne High School

Bassoon 2

• Maya Wyganowska, Sheyenne High School

Clarinet 3

• Cassandra Syvinki, Sheyenne High School

Alto Sax 1

• Abigail Trautman, Sheyenne High School

Trumpet 2

• Zachary Breidenbach, Sheyenne High School

Horn 3

• Tatym Rasmussen, Sheyenne High School

Euphonium

• Benjamin Haug, Sheyenne High School
• Micah Kallod, West Fargo High School

ALL-STATE MIXED CHORUS

The North Dakota All-Mixed Chorus will be directed by Dr. Aimee Beckmann-Collier, the Ellis and Nelle Levitt Distinguished Professor Emerita of Conducting at Drake University. West Fargo Public Schools students selected to perform in the 2021 All-State Mixed Chorus include:

Soprano 1

• Kaitlin Bitzegaio, Sheyenne High School

Alto 1

• Katlynn Gilliland, Sheyenne High School

Bass

• Henry Christiansen, Sheyenne High School

ALL-STATE TREBLE CHORUS

The North Dakota All-Treble Chorus will be directed by Dr. Bret Amundson, the Dean of the School of Arts & Letters at the College of St. Scholastica. West Fargo Public Schools students selected to perform in the 2021 All-State Treble Chorus include:

Alto 1

• Alexis Sauvageau-Reid, Sheyenne High School

Alto 2

• Haley Deibert, Sheyenne High School

 

Participants will travel to Bismarck and spend the afternoon of Saturday, March 20 and the morning of Sunday, March 21 rehearsing before each event’s concert Sunday afternoon.

The all-state events are open to any student musicians currently in grades 9 – 12 in a North Dakota High School Activities Association member school who also is a member of their respective high school performing groups. Interested student musicians must receive a recommendation from their performance director and submit an audition piece to be considered for selection in the all-state performance groups.

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