Several North Platte High School students attended the annual All-State music ensembles Nov. 14-16 in Lincoln.

Junior Joel Bradley was selected for All-State Chorus. “They pick about 400 kids from the entire state,” Bradley said. “You have to audition and you only have one shot.”

Bradley explained that everyone starts with the same music. They study it, record themselves singing or playing an instrument, and then send it in. After being chosen, Bradley and others traveled to the LIED Center in Lincoln to perform with other students from across the state.

Bradley was grateful for the opportunity to perform among other musically-talented Nebraska students. “With All-State, you know that everybody’s there for a reason, everybody’s really good at what they do,” he said.

Sophomore Annie von Kampen, juniors Thomas Bartling and Elliott Purdy, and seniors Chloe Hoaglund and Kiera Rhodes were also selected for All-State Chorus. Seniors Steffani Nolda and Jacob Cahill were selected for All-State Band.

Bradley said that the opportunity was a great experience. “It sounded absolutely amazing,” he said. “It’s crazy, like it’s different from our choir.”

The junior said that it was an honor to be selected for All-State. “We got a medal for making All-State, but at that point, I didn’t really care about the medal, I was just glad that I got to be a part of it,” he said.