All-State Chorus selections ...

This year, three students from the Waukon High School Vocal Music Department under the direction of Sarah J. Bieber Palmer were selected to participate in the Iowa All-State Music Festival, the highest individual honor attainable to Iowa high school vocal musicians. Thousands of students from across the state of Iowa auditioned for All-State Chorus Saturday, October 20. Selected for the 600-member All-State Chorus were (left to right in above photo) junior Oonagh Ahouse (Alto 1), daughter of Ed and Marlene Ahouse of Waukon; sophomore Aidan Jones (Bass 2), son of Gregg and Maura Jones of Waukon; and senior Micah Treptau (Tenor 2), son of Tom and Cami Treptau of Waukon. The 2018 All-State Music Festival was held Saturday, November 17 at Iowa State University’s Hilton Coliseum in Ames.

The All-State Chorus was under the direction of Dr. Timothy Peter, Director of Choral Activities at Stetson University in DeLand, FL. Dr. Peter was a long-time conductor at Luther College in Decorah, directing beside his wife, Dr. Sandra Peter (Aurora and Cathedral Chorale), and his colleague, Weston Noble (long-time director of the Nordic Choir). While at Luther College, Dr. Peter directed the first-year men’s chorus Norsemen and the upperclassmen chorus Collegiate Choral. While attending Luther College, Sarah Palmer sung in Dr. Peter’s Collegiate Chorale for two years and served as Alto 1 section leader during that time. Palmer said it was a joy to have her high school students under the direction of a choral conductor she also sang under. Submitted photo.