The Iowa All-State Music Festival held virtual auditions this week and has cancelled the annual concert event, leading to only a few Guthrie County-area students taking part.

Adair-Casey/Guthrie Center vocalists Kael Grasty and Tommy Bates auditioned, as well as Panorama student Ruby Hummel for clarinet. ACGC Vocal Instructor Kelsey Moran says she had six students participate in the virtual Wartburg Meistersinger All-State Camp last August. When it was announced a couple weeks ago that All-State honorees would only get their award in the mail and not perform at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Moran shares why less students were compelled to audition virtually, “I always try to instill in the kids that we don’t do what we do to get the medal or the award or the recognition. Yes, that’s in there, but that is not our sole purpose. With that though, I completely understood if kids were like, ‘What’s the point?’ What is the point, they didn’t want the certificate in the mail they wanted the experience. And it’s so hard to stay positive and keep them going when all of the things that they work towards just get ripped away from them.”

Moran says the ACGC Music Department also chose not to host their annual All-State Showcase this past week, which typically includes performances from solo and ensemble groups and refreshments. All-State nominees will be announced this Monday.