Trumpet player Ava Diederich ‘24 became the first band member from Berlin to join the All State Orchestra. 

   This orchestra is composed of top players from high schools across Ohio and includes brass, woodwinds and string instruments. According to the OMEA website, Mark Sholl organizes the orchestra to perform for music teachers across the state.

   Musicians in the orchestra have a limited amount of time to prepare the piece for the performance which tests their musicianship.

    “It’s three days of rehearsal where I have to leave school and go down to the Columbus Convention Center and rehearse,” Diederich said. “They are going to give us the music ahead of time but we only rehearse for two days before the performance as a group.”

   Diederich submitted her audition online which included music that proved mastery of the instrument. Players are required to perform a class B (medium advanced) or class A (advanced) solo for the judges. With the rigor of the audition pieces, Diederich practiced the pieces a month or two in advance.

   She hopes to further her musicianship with this experience.

   “I just want to get the experience of performing in a full orchestra because in a band we don’t have the stringed instruments to play with,” Diederich said. “I think it would be really cool to just experience a full symphony performance setting.”

      Anyone who is involved in band, orchestra and choir can audition for All State. For more information, visit https://www.omea-ohio.org/.