DHS Students Perform at the Iowa All-State Music Festival

You'll want to remember this moment. Help us record what's happening in Decorah. AMES, Iowa — Recently, fifty Decorah High School musicians auditioned for the Iowa All-State Music Festival. After preparing rigorous musical selections, they competed alongside students from across East Central and Northeast Iowa, including schools from the Dubuque and Cedar Rapids areas. Nineteen Decorah students earned positions in the 2025 All-State ensembles: June Breitenbach-Dirks, soprano Spencer Christensen, tenor Sawyer Courtney, tenor Sofia Hageman, violin Mikayla Hiner, soprano Liam Huang, violin Naomi Kutz, violin Jameson LaBelle, tenor Evan Madsen, bass trombone Caden Malanaphy, tenor Noah Potvin, bass Simon Potvin, bass Olivia Rissman, alto Vivian Searcy, alto Nina Sessions, string bass Lauren Severtson, violin Tyler Shaw, bass Colin Thompson, tenor Jillian Volz, soprano alternate District auditions for the 277-member All-State Band, 220-member All-State Orchestra, and 601-member All-State Chorus were held on Saturday, October 25, at sites including Le Mars, Hampton-Dumont-CAL, Independence, Atlantic, Indianola, and Iowa City West High School. Approximately 17% of auditioning students are selected for the ensembles. Selected musicians rehearsed in Ames on November 21–22, culminating in the All-State Festival Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 22, in Hilton Coliseum at Iowa State University. The concert will be broadcast on Iowa PBS on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27 at 7:00 p.m., and again on Monday, December 8, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. The Iowa All-State Music Festival is presented by the Iowa High School Music Association (IHSMA) and the Iowa Music Educators Association (IMEA). Elevate your inbox with the DecorahNews.com newsletter! Receive free thought-provoking articles, actionable advice and inspiring stories every week.