All-State Audition Workshop Feb. 21 at SMSU

Published Thursday, January 29, 2015

Southwest Minnesota State University will host an All-State Audition Workshop on Saturday, Feb. 21 for high school students who plan on auditioning for the All-State choir, orchestra or band.

SMSU music faculty members will host the event, which is free to high school students. The workshop will run from 1-5 p.m., and includes individual lesson times with music faculty, along with group sessions on warm-ups, technique and scales.

This marks the fourth year of the event, said Department Chair Dr. John Ginocchio. “This past year we had at least three students who participated who were later accepted for all-state,” he said. “Being selected for an all-state group is a prestigious honor for a student.”

High school students selected for all-state choir, orchestra or band meet in the summertime at a trio of camps on college campuses around the state. The all-state choir, orchestra and band events are sponsored by the Minnesota Music Educators Assn. Performances of each are then presented in February of each year.

“Students selected are juniors or below this year,” said Ginocchio. “This is a good opportunity for students wanting to audition to get some one-on-one work with faculty members who will help them with the process.”

Those wishing to participate in the workshop should contact either Ginocchio at 507-537-7209, John.Ginocchio@smsu.edu; or Dr. Stephen Kingsburg, 507-537-7247, Stephen.Kingsbury@smsu.edu