Kasi Rupert @kasibellerupert [Staff Writer]
In Marion High school history, no individual student has ever made All-State in three different activities before. One student this year has made All-State in speech, choir, and jazz band. This record-breaking streak took a lot of hard work and concentration. Only 600 students in Iowa participate in the Iowa All-State choir festival every year. This student is Erin Thomason, junior.
Thomason had to put a huge amount of time into practicing her audition pieces. “For choir, I had to practice a lot every week, and for speech, I had to practice for the performances anyway,” Thomason mentioned. It was pretty rough to start, but Thomason made it through with the help of her educators and peers that were also auditioning. “The support from Dyrland for choir, Allard for band, and Junge for speech really helped. Also I just kept staying confident in myself,” Thomason voiced. She even had some trouble deciding if she wanted to audition or not. Thomason stated, “I was a little iffy on Jazz band, but I did it anyway because I promised Mr. Allard I would.” However, for choir, she was set on auditioning because of her previous attempts. “I’ve auditioned for three years now, and it was something to aspire to,” commented Thomason.
After she made All-State, it was smooth sailing from there until the performances she did. Thomason hasn’t performed for Jazz band yet, but she does look forward to it. The audition was really the most nerve-wracking part of the process. “I felt more nervous for choir, because with band I just did a recording with Mr. Allard and Mr. Ottmar in the room,” Thomason described. Though all of the experiences were memorable, All-State choir was definitely Thomason’s favorite. “It was more powerful I guess, and I’m much more passionate about singing,” Thomason divulged. Making All-State was a life-changing experience in all three activities, and Thomason feels proud of it. “[The best part was] the experience itself, and making the memory, and getting the experience that not everyone gets to,” expressed Thomason.
All-State is something that everyone should take the opportunity to audition for because of the skills you gain or improve along the way. Thomason strongly recommends auditioning to other students. “If it’s anything that you’re interested in, or you just want to grow as a musician or actor, it’s a great experience,” Thomason replied. Actually making it isn’t a walk in the park, though, it takes dedication. “It comes down to how much you practice and how much time you put into it,” claimed Thomason. It is highly worth the work to make All-State. “Put aside time in your week to practice, and if someone offers to help you, use them,” Thomason advised.
