Lincoln Public Schools students scaled to the top of the All-State music mountain this fall when they sang and played with scores of other elite performers.

Elementary, middle and high school students took part in rehearsals and concerts at the Nebraska Music Education Association (NMEA) Conference/In-Service Clinic. More than 2,000 teachers, exhibitors, college students and K-12 performers gathered in Lincoln for the All-State weekend. They showcased their musical skills at five downtown venues.

Southeast High School junior Charlotte made her second career appearance in the All-State Choir this fall. She said forming new friendships was her favorite part of singing with the group.

“It’s a really cool feeling already to be surrounded by 450 of the most talented people in the state, but it’s especially cool when you get to spend time with people from other schools that you know but don’t usually see, or even have the chance to meet new people,” Charlotte said. “That’s something I find so beautiful about music in Nebraska as a whole.”

Heera Jang and Riley Herringer both said the All-State experience was a superb teaching tool for students like Charlotte. Jang leads music classes at Prescott Elementary School and Herringer is head vocal music director at Southeast. Jang had four Panthers sing in the All-State Children’s Choir, and Herringer had ten Knights who were either selected for the All-State Choir or chosen as an alternate.

“I think participating in the All-State Choir gives students the opportunity to greatly improve their musical skills and gain confidence by working with an advanced ensemble and performing on a big stage,” Jang said. “It also helps them build responsibility and patience as they stay focused during long rehearsals while preparing for the concert.”

“Music connects people, and this unique shared experience allows all students involved to make music at a high level where everyone is invested in what they are doing,” Herringer said. “This is one of the experiences in our students’ lives that is hard to replicate and requires them to be engaged in learning and open to trying new things. Being able to make music like this with people they’ve never met before connects to the humanities we try to teach our students every day.”

LPS Supervisor of Music Amy Holloman said she was excited about the large number of LPS students who were accepted into All-State groups. Musicians from 15 elementary, nine middle and seven high schools represented the school district on stage. This year’s concert lineup featured music from the All-State Band, All-State Chorus, All-State Jazz Band, All-State Orchestra, All-State Middle Level Band, All-State Middle Level String Orchestra and All-State Children’s Choir.

“We are always incredibly proud of the number of students from LPS who are represented in All-State ensembles each year,” Holloman said. “That is a testament to the outstanding instruction and music opportunities that our LPS directors provide.”

Holloman said it is challenging to earn spots. Elementary music teachers are allowed to nominate only a few students for the All-State Children’s Choir each year. Middle and high school students must compete for positions through a statewide audition process. They record digital files of their music and upload them through a website portal for judges to review.

“Students from all over the state audition every year to be selected as a Nebraska Music All-State student,” Holloman said. “It is the highest honor a music student can receive. The preparation and musical rigor is very difficult, and students spend many hours preparing for their audition.”

Pershing Elementary School music teacher Nicholas Besse said it was meaningful for five of his students to appear in the All-State spotlight. Alison, Gwen, Daynica, Adaline and Emerson learned they could achieve many life goals through hard work and motivation.

“For some of them, this was their very first time performing on a stage, much less singing alongside nearly 400 other students from across Nebraska,” Besse said. “Experiences like this show them a world of possibility beyond their everyday environment. They get to work with outstanding conductors, meet peers who share their love of music, and feel what it’s like to be part of something much bigger than themselves. Our Pershing students came back proud, inspired and excited to keep growing as musicians.”

Charlotte and Herringer both said the All-State kinship made the weekend even more special.

“From your school’s choir director to a director of a college ensemble, everyone in the festival wants to see you succeed, especially the All-State director,” Charlotte said. “Although it’s not possible for one All-State Choir director to individually meet and connect with everyone, they still want you, as a person, to enjoy your experience and to grow as a singer and person.”

“Students often find strong community ties to the music programs in our schools, and it’s very cool to see them experience that same feeling of community and belonging on such a large scale,” Herringer said. “Our students know that they are not alone in their interests and talents. It’s so special to see them shine in a place where they are understood and valued for who they are and what they can do.”

Charlotte said her All-State trip was a mountaintop experience that amplified her love of music.

“I met so many fantastic people and made some memories that I will remember not only for the rest of my high school career, but for the rest of my life,” Charlotte said. “All-State is a blessing and a privilege, and I could not be happier to participate.”

2025 LPS All-State Music Participants

All-State Children’s Choir

Arnold Elementary School: Alyssa Vine, Allura Duran, Luna Edwards, Aleah Hochstein, Emilia Wendel

Calvert Elementary School: Sebastian McAndrew, Eva Hicks, Harper Huckeby

Campbell Elementary School: Becca Broxterman, May Byron, Julissa Moncayo Gallegos, William Moses, Em Towle

Clinton Elementary School: Jaxon Dane, Remedi Wynne, Brinda Garis, Carlos Gonzalez

Fredstrom Elementary School: Dima Kheder, Jocelyn Joya, Brooks Quiring, Dah Hse

Hartley Elementary School: Eleanora Sheen, Angie Reyes, Grant Vadnais

Holmes Elementary School: Kendall Phillip, Nick Schwab

Kloefkorn Elementary School: Ben Furasek, Amaiya Zeeb, Brenna Hesser, Lucy Rischling, Lincoln Lambert

Maxey Elementary School: Kaylei Smith, Celia Barjenbruch, Breckin Carlson, Mattea Berge, Sawyer Suing, Tilly Kuhn

Pershing Elementary School: Alison Truong, Gwen Villines, Daynica Temple, Adaline Berks, Emerson Beaubier

Prescott Elementary School: Isley Hamel, Ivy O’Donnell, Olivia Owens, Fiona Ross

Randolph Elementary School: Phoebe Anderzhon, Leia Arleque, Johnnie Dodge, Iggy Gengler, Archer Sullivan

Robinson Elementary School: JJ Hansen, Izzy Johnson, Everly Sampson

Rousseau Elementary School: Lennon Abbott, Estella Pabst Beltran, Selah Cunningham, Amiah Hoover, Penelope Ianno, Kylie Kingery

Sheridan Elementary School: Oscar Lohrman, Bridget O’Donnell, Jane Rawson, Hudson Salem

All-State Middle Level Band

Culler Middle School: Sophia Contino (alternate), Elsa Luke (alternate)

Lux Middle School: Ella Peters, Nataliya Schliep, Liam Yunghans

Mickle Middle School: Keira Anderson, Mackenzie Nelson, Natalie Stone

Moore Middle School: Hailey Baker, Norah Profitt

Park Middle School: Orlando Streater

Pound Middle School: Toby Peterson, Phoebe Pointon

Scott Middle School: Logan Rowe

All-State Middle Level String Orchestra

Irving Middle School: Sawyer Antholz, Carson Blimling (alternate), Auggie Hansen, Amelia Harewood, Jaxon Harvey, Clara Hoyer, Qianyi Lu, Micah McKee, Elise Peters

Lux Middle School: Henry Conroy, Valerio Forgione, Koen Kanter, Harrison Littrell, Bella Sharif, Tyler Wilson, Judah Wittenburg

Moore Middle School: Mia Cooper, Lauren Ham, Mady Hart, Phoebe Stohs, Adeline Tran, Jonathan Zeng

Schoo Middle School: Teresa Dao, Kelvin Howell (alternate), Nadiya Solodovnik

Scott Middle School: Charlie Chance, Hazel Costenbader, Charlotte Handelman, Lucy Marino, Lucy Neri, Vanessa Pham, Logan Rowe

All-State Band

East High School: Julia Tully

Lincoln High: Oliver Brassil, Orion Welsch-Mixan

Northwest High School: Sierra Albers (alternate), Harper Pryor, Averie Smith, Olivia Solodovnik

Southeast High School: Madeleine Melang-Thoren, Joslyn Morgan, Brayden Neesen, Savannah Runyan

Southwest High School: Macy Gonderinger

Standing Bear High School: Hannah Baker, Peyton Roker (alternate)

All-State Chorus

East High School: Delton Dellinger, Alex Duden, Sawyer Elley, Myles Hardt, Zach Johannes, Emily Kumm, Harper Ricenbaw, Noah Robb, Gibson Sayre, Sophia Schulz, Phoebe Strong, Joslyn Walton

Lincoln High: Addison Davy, Avery Fletcher, Alex Gansher, Eli Martin, Sam Maser, Ryan Ostrander, Juliana Vazquez-Tapia

Southeast High School: Hanchan Ang, Carly Brittenham, Grayson Crabtree, Blake Gustafson, Avalee Hoyer, Sydney Kjeldgaard, Charlotte Mar, Devin Miller, Neely Nichols, Zenjin Schroeder (alternate)

Southwest High School: Emily Ayres, Garytt Brown, Leah Byelick, Joshua Carl, Xauiki Garcia-Adame, Kyrus Jensen, Grant Johnson, Jeremiah Keele, Josiah Kirchner, Vee Lundquist, Mide Omoniyi, Chance Ready, Esther Robinson, Carson Rogers, Avery Runestad, Edie Ulrich, Lily Wirth, Cayson Witt

Standing Bear High School: Gus Rose, Kenzie Schaefer

All-State Jazz Band

Lincoln High: Liam Giesbrecht (alternate)

All-State Orchestra

East High School: Bennett Bacon, Cecilia Cary, Wensi Cui, Luigi Forgione, Alyssa Freeman, Charlotte Fryda, Konnor Garrett, Alex Ge, William Guo, Anisa Kholmurodzoda, Annabelle Kumm, Abby Moorehead, Jeff Shen, Cora Thompson, Avery White, Brooks Xia (alternate), Jade Xia

Lincoln High: Sebastian Aracena, Colt Dillashaw, Eleanor Erickson, Hugh Skretta (alternate)

North Star High School: Wade Metzger

Southeast High School: Lucy Deitering, Hudson Lewandowski, Miles Melang-Thoren, Nnadozie Ogbonnaya, Baran Safa, Scott von Scheliha

Southwest High School: Lily Bohnart, Elsa Cortinas, Jamison Dixon, Kaylee James, Lily Johnston, Khang Nguyen, Ha Quach, Weili Wang, Caitlyn Yeggy

Standing Bear High School: Sam Cooper, Daniel Seifert, Jacob Thimmesch

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Nine students stand in two rows on a staircase. More than two dozen students stand with their orchestra instruments in a lobby area. They are standing in front of a large window. Eleven high school students sit in three rows in a large area of chairs. More than 30 students stand next to each other on a staircase in eight rows. More than 20 high school students stand outside in the sun in front of a building. They are wearing All-State Music lanyards around their necks.

Pershing Elementary School

Pershing Elementary School

LPS students shine in All-State music concerts