Twenty-four students from Decorah were recently selected for participation in the 38^th annual Opus Honor Choir Festival.  Over 2,400 students were nominated by their directors for 720 positions in the four Opus Honor Choirs. Selections were made by means of a recorded audition.

This is the eighteenth year that Decorah had students audition for the Opus Honor Choirs. During the past 18 years more than 415 students from Decorah have been accepted through recordings submitted by Dean Beckman, Jason Rausch, and community youth choir directors. This year, sixteen students were selected from Decorah Middle School by recordings submitted by Dean Beckman. Eight students were selected by recordings submitted by Jason Rausch at the Decorah High School. The following students were accepted:

5^th Grade:  Clara Garcia-Prats and Ivan Maki

6^th Grade:  Gray Bassford, Liam Kueny, and Maximus Rinkol

7^th Grade:  Jorgan Lee-Juve, Lillianna Richmond, Abby Shaw, Haylyn Stowe,

and Hayven Stowe

8^th Grade:  Kenyon Bartels, Crosby Butler, Nathaniel Crose, Hanna Lensch, Veda Shimek, and Graham Torkelson

9^th Grade: Kylie Cord, Ella Evelsizer, Cooper Ewing, Derek Hrdlicka, Kaya Johnson, Claire Ko, Davis Walter, and Gavin Wilkins

In addition, three students were selected as solo finalists to audition to sing a solo or in a special small group at the concert: Crosby Butler and Nathaniel Crose were two of eight students selected from across the state in 8^th grade, and Kaya Johnson was one of five finalists selected in 9^th grade.

Guest conductors of the choirs include Jennifer Ghelf, 5th & 6th Grade Honor Choir; John Hayden, 7th & 8th Grade Bass Clef Honor Choir; Rachael Wragge, 7th & 8th Grade Treble Clef Honor Choir; and Meg Byrne, 9th Grade Mixed Honor Choir.

The 2024 Opus Honor Choirs will perform at 4:00 p.m. November 21st in C.Y. Stephens Auditorium in the Iowa State Center in Ames. The Opus Honor Choir Festival is made possible by the Iowa Choral Directors Association, Inc.

Decorah Middle School

Row 1:  Liam Kueny, Ivan Maki, Clara Garcia-Prats, Haylyn Stowe, and Jorgan Lee-Juve

Row 2:  Hayven Stowe, Maximus Rinkol, Crosby Butler, Nathaniel Crose, and Abby Shaw

Row 3:  Lillianna Richmond, Gray Bassford, Kenyon Bartels, Graham Torkelson, and Hanna Lensch

Not Pictured:  Veda Shimek

Decorah Ninth Grade

Row 1:  Kaya Johnson, Ella Evelsizer, Claire Ko, and Kylie Cord

Row 2:  Gavin Wilkins, Derek Hrdlicka, Davis Walter, and Cooper Ewing