Two Powell students had the honor of attending the American Choral Directors Association All Northwest Conference on March 9-12 in Spokane, Washington.

Seniors Emma Bucher and Dakota Hansen were selected via audition after beginning the virtual audition process in November. 

“I’m so proud of both girls for the level of dedication and preparation it takes to audition and be accepted to an honor group of this caliber,” Powell High School choir teacher Rachel Schoessler said. “I hope they took something valuable from it, and I’m honored to have been part of their experience.”

Students first had to qualify for All State, then becoming able to audition for All Northwest the following year. Auditions took place virtually, with students recording excerpts from selected songs as well as different scales.

Attending All Northwest has been Bucher’s goal since her freshman year.

“I have been trying to do it since Mr. [John] Miller was teaching, actually,” she said.

Bucher didn’t make it to All State her freshman year, so she couldn’t audition for All Northwest as a sophomore, but both Miller and Schoessler continued pushing her to try again, “because they thought I would thrive there.” 

Bucher was unable to audition as a junior, as the event was canceled over COVID-19 concerns, but she persevered to make this year’s event.

Hansen, who also attended All Northwest for the first time, most enjoyed singing with the top student voices from Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.

“You’ve got the best of the best singing in a choir. And it’s just so powerful and so much talent in one room. It’s overwhelming,” Hansen said.

Hansen and Bucher were able to travel to Spokane thanks to the music booster club, which holds fundraisers for the music program.

“It was just really exciting. So I can say that it was one of the best experiences of my life,” Hansen said.

Hansen and Bucher performed in the grades 11-12 soprano alto choir which was made up of about 125 students. There were four choirs each made up of roughly 120 students: a middle school choir; a grades 9-10 soprano, alto, tenor bass choir; grades 11-12 soprano, alto choir; and a grades 11-12 tenor, bass choir.

Both Bucher and Hansen are eyeing degrees in music education. They appreciated what they learned from the experience and believe it will open the door to scholarships.

“I want to study music in college and so if they know that I made it to All Northwest, it’s definitely good for me,” Hansen said. “And I know that working there and rehearsing with the director, you just learn a lot and you get so much more experience and you just absorb so much knowledge before you go into college.”