Neligh-Oakdale, Elkhorn Valley Students Perform At All-State

Leslie & Gabriela Linares

Kelsey Green

The best of the best performed Friday at the Lied Center for Performing Arts, and four students from Antelope County were among them. 

Neligh-Oakdale's Leslie  Linares (alto 1), Gabriela Linares (alto 2) and Kelsey Green (clarinet) joined Elkhorn Valley's Chris Petersen (tenor 2) at the Nebraska Music Educators Association Conference/Clinic concert.

Nate Metschke is the band director at Neligh-Oakdale and Pat Miller is the vocal instructor. At Elkhorn Valley, Brenda Gale is the music instructor. 

"Making the all-class all-state band or chorus is the highest honor a high school musician can receive," Metschke said. 

The students rehearsed Thursday and Friday and performed Friday evening at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus.

The all-state chorus was directed by Craig Jessop, Dean of the Cain College of the Arts at Utah State University. 


The band was directed by Colleen Richardson, Coordinator of Bands and director of the wind ensembles at the Western University in London, Ontario, Canada.