Neligh-Oakdale Students Earn All-Class, All-State Honors

Widely known as the highest honor in the state for band and choir, Neligh-Oakdale again has multiple All-Class, All-State musicians. 

More than 3,000 students in the state auditioned and three were selected from Neligh-Oakdale.

Sisters Leslie (alto 1) and Gabriela Linares (alto 2) were named to All-State choir and Kelsey Green (clarinet) was named to All-State band. Celina Knievel (soprano 2) was named an alternate in choir.

"Making the all-class all-state band or chorus is the highest honor a high school musician can receive," band director Nate Metschke said. "Our students all worked hard learning the music and memorizing the scales. Although I might be a little biased, all nine students who auditioned from Neligh-Oakdale are All-State material in my mind. Our community can be very proud of Gabriela, Leslie, Kelsey and Celina."

Leslie and Gabriela are the daughters of Oscar Linares and Maria Parra, Kelsey is the daughter of Jack and Peggy Green and Celina is the daughter of Bill Knievel and Linda Miller-Thompson.

Patricia Miller is the accompanist for the Neligh-Oakdale choir, and Metschke directs the Warrior band and choir.

"Attending All-State choir, singing with the best students in the state is an experience that students never forget. Our students all worked hard this year, an I am thrilled to have Gabriella and Leslie selected," Miller said. "I knew they worked hard when their 4-year-old sister was able to sing all the music right along with them during the pre-audition rehearsal."

She added, "When they joined our school two years ago, their English skills were very weak, and now they are able to qualify with an audition that included singing in both English and German. I am so proud of them."

The 2014 Nebraska Music Educators Association Conference/Clinic concert will be Friday, Nov. 21, at the Lied Center for the Performing Arts on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus.

The all-state chorus will be directed by Craig Jessop, Dean of the Cain College of the Arts at Utah State University. The band will be directed by Colleen Richardson, Coordinator of Bands and director of the wind ensembles at the Western University in London, Ontario, Canada.

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