7 HHS students go to state music fest

The All-State Music Festival is starting today in Missoula and seven of the participants are students from Havre High School.

This year, the University of Montana is hosting the event.

David Johnke, Havre High band director, said that it is an honor for students to be invited to participate in this festival.

“The All-State Music Festival involves about 500 to 600 students from across the state of Montana that have auditioned through each of their individual schools to be one of the top musicians in the state,” he said.

Johnke feels that the festival is a great learning experience for students.

“The act of actually being in these ensembles is just amazing because they don’t get that sort of experience in their own schools,” he said. “They’re doing collegiate-level stuff. This is really difficult music and they’re pulling it off.”

In order to be considered for the festival, students were required to send an audio recording of themselves playing their instruments or singing. An anonymous screener then decided if they were qualified to perform.

“Not every school gets kids that make it in,” Johnke said.

Arjan Pokharel, an HHS senior, will play the flute at the festival. Pokharel has been playing his instrument since he was a freshman. He looks forward to “meeting other student musicians and learning new things.”

Emily Simonson, a junior at HHS, will sing in the choir. Simonson was excited when she found she was accepted to perform at this event.

“It is going to be so cool hearing the different voices,” she said.

HHS junior Thomas Keith will also sing in the choir.

Keith has been singing since he was in sixth grade and is looking forward to hearing how the choir at All-State will sound because “it is such a big group.”

Johnke said that the students are not judged.

“This is just a music festival. It is an honor to be there. They leave that experience euphoric, and they can’t wait to get back and share that with the rest of the students. It actually makes our programs get better when we get students into All-State.”

Students who are participating in this event will rehearse all day Thursday and all day Friday. The gala performance will take place Friday night.

The following Havre High School students will be

participating in the All-State Music Festival:

Band:

Arjan Pokharel - senior

Choir:

Dustin Haas - sophomore

Dustin Hofer - senior

Thomas Keith - junior

Destiny Martin - senior

Bailey Martin - senior

Emily Simonson - junior