Last week, Montevideo band students Lau ren and Logan traveled to Minneapolis to perform in the Orchestra Hall with the Minnesota All-State Concert Band and Symphonic Band. The audition process is challenging and the competition for each chair in the ensembles is competitive. "Being selected to participate in All-State Band is a huge accomplishment. It is a challenging and competitive process," says Director of Bands Oliver Leafblad. Each student prepares many technical playing exercises and excerpts that show off the student's musical ability. The students then send in a recording of their playing in the spring and, if chosen, are placed in either of the two All-State Bands. In August, the selected students meet for an All-State camp in which they practice and rehearse the music to perform at the end of the camp. Through the experience, all students get opportunities to work with world-class directors in their ensemble and in sectionals with college professors and other master teachers. The following February all the students get one last chance to play together for the Minnesota Music Educators Conference in Minneapolis.