14 from same school make All-State groups

CODY, Wyo. (AP) - Nine vocalists from Cody High School choirs and five instrumentalists from band are part of All-State music groups.

More than 450 of Wyoming’s best high school music students will convene in Cody, Jan. 15-17, for the 2017 Wyoming All-State Band, Orchestra and Choir Clinic.

CHS choir direct Larry Munari said students must audition for All-State. Thirty students from Cody tried out and 14 made it. They are Skylah Bree, Sara Cappiello, Caden Crooks, Gaston Osterland, Aili Roberson, Elisha Smith, Trisha Tamblyn, Ben Wambeke and Evan Wambeke for choir, and Sarah Crawford, Sierra Erb, Tayler Kindt, Porter Laing and Elise Seuferer for band.

Statewide about 600 vocalists try out for band and 1,000 try out for choir.

“There’s no quota that has to come from any part of the state,” Munari said.

Then event rotates each year to different schools around the state. All-State hasn’t been in Cody since 2011.

“Cody is the smallest town it’s ever in,” Munari said. “We only have seven music teachers here.”

Smith, a senior who is part of the choir, is in her third year of All-State.

“It’s an experience to sing with advanced vocalists,” Smith said. “It’s really amazing the music you can make when you combine with people at a higher level. The moments are something I will always remember.”

Kindt, who is also a senior in her third year participating in All-State, will play the alto saxophone. Her first two years she played the tenor saxophone. She is particularly excited that All-State takes place in Cody this year.

“It’s in Cody, so it’s local,” Kindt said. “It’s fun, all my family members can come and see; I am excited about that.”

She said performing in All-State has helped her consider new and better ways to improve and make friends she may not have met otherwise.

“It’s opened my eyes to playing with a group of people at the same level and helped me to be better,” she said.

Crooks, a senior, has been a part of the All-State Choir all four years of high school, which he said is a great achievement.

“It’s a really cool experience. You learn a lot from All-State,” Crooks said. “I’ve been singing under the great tutelage of Mr. Munari.”

He said his mom was the one who encouraged him to get involved initially. Singing is something he does with his family.

“Me and my mom go to church and that’s where I learned how to sing,” Crooks said. “My family is part of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It’s a big influence in my life; at family reunions we all get together and sing.”

The event is sponsored by the Wyoming High School Activities Association and the Wyoming Music Educators’ Association, which will hold a Professional Development Conference during the event.

The All-State Gala Concert will be 7 p.m. Jan. 17, at Sweitzer Gym. Admission is $5 for adults and $4 for students.

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Information from: The Cody Enterprise, https://www.codyenterprise.com