For two Greene County High School seniors qualifying for the Iowa High School Music Association’s All-State Festival is an honor, even in a pandemic year.

Clay Peters and Makenna Fox each qualified for their first festival, even though there was no actual event, due to COVID-19. The audition process was changed as well. This year, the choir students had to audition by themselves instead of in a group, and they had to submit a recording. Peters says the audition changes worked out well for him.

“So I’m definitely more of an individual worker. So working by myself on this all-state material was definitely beneficial for me. Though it was a little bit weird, I think as a growth experience as a singer, it’s definitely more helpful to not get to lean on anyone, and to know the pieces inside and out. That’s kind of reminiscent of singing beyond. You need to know your pieces super well in order to do super well.”

During a typical year, students also found out if they qualified for all-state the same day as they auditioned. However, this year, the students had to wait a few days, which Fox describes what she was feeling during that waiting period.

“It was really nerve-racking, even though I knew I had secured getting in this year because I worked my butt off this year. I worked really hard (and) I knew my music. But it was still that nerve of like, ‘what if someone is better than me?’ I know I tried hard, but somebody could’ve tried harder.”

The All-State concert would’ve taken place on November 21st on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames.