Five Powell High School (PHS) students attended All State Music in Rock Springs Jan. 16-18.

Rehearsals took place Jan. 16-17 and all three ensembles — the choir, orchestra and band — performed the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 18.

PHS’s All-State roster was made up of Emma Bucher in the choir, Madison Johnson in the orchestra and band members Joe Bucher, Kiyoko Hayano and Hannah Sears.

The students were able to rehearse with three clinicians: Derrick Fox from the University of Nebraska-Omaha rehearsed with All State Choir, Michael Griffith from the University of Wyoming led the All State Orchestra and Christopher Cicconi from Towson University in Maryland rehearsed with the All State Band.

“It felt really cool because everyone was from a different place,” said Johnson, a sophomore. “... I was in the orchestra, so I didn’t know anyone from Powell that was there, so I actually had to make friends. It was fun seeing how many people there were and where they all came from.”

Johnson, sophomore Joe Bucher and junior Sears all picked the same two standout moments. 

Joe Bucher mentioned excitedly that “a bunch of educators” performed a jazz concert, as well as how much he and the rest of the students enjoyed performing the national anthem in the auditorium.

Students had to practice for three-and-a-half hours the morning and evening of Jan. 17 and the morning of Jan. 18.

For next year, Sears joked she would like to “practice the music more before we go so I’m not worried about part checks.”

Senior Emma Bucher was glad to have an in-person All State this year, where she felt there was a sense of community that the online environment did not provide. 

“We got to help decide what our concert order would be like. Our director told us to find a group and basically come up with ideas, try to campaign and stuff like that and get people on your side,” Emma Bucher said. “We had two people named Riley, and they debated fully; they had contentions. It was so funny.”

Choir instructor Rachel Schoessler and band instructor John Fabela thought that All State went well.

“This was our first in person All State since 2020. I thought it went as smoothly as it possibly could have. The kids worked really really hard,” Fabela said. “The clinicians were excellent, I think they were exactly what we needed. I couldn’t wait to get home and try that stuff out.”