The High School Music Listening Contest regional event took place on Friday, Jan. 24, at seven regions across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Utah.

Nearly 90 teams participated in the contest this year, representing 35 different schools, home schools, and private music studios.

Decorah High School had six teams of three students each competing at Pine Island High School at the Region 6 competition. This is the sixth year Decorah students have competed in the contest. They are coached by Nicole Cody, a member of the music faculty at the high school.

Three of Decorah’s six teams placed in the top of the competition out of 22 teams participating from six schools. Earning second place with a score of 87/97 were Lauren Severtson, Naomi Kutz, and Grace Stockman. Two additional Decorah teams earned wild card spots in the Championship: Mason Myers, Karmyn Bakken, and Grace Blikre with a score of 77/97; and Olivia Volkmann, Emma Cline, and Jayden Lundtvedt with a score of 71/97. 

Cody remarked, “I am incredibly proud of all the teams. Their performance at the contest was remarkable. They learn so much, so quickly, and we have so much fun listening together. It never gets old to watch students learn about the crazy circumstances, involving both illness and goats, that launched Leonard Bernstein’s career or get excited by an incredible composer who lived nearly 1000 years ago.”

The top two scoring teams from two different schools from the regional contests automatically advance to the championship competition held at Augsburg University in Minneapolis on Friday, February 7th, 2025. The Region 6 first place team of Rochester Area Home School will advance to the championships along with Decorah’s second place winning team. Scores are compared from all regions, and because of their top-20 place finish across all competing schools, the other two Decorah teams were chosen as wildcards.  

According to Cody, the contest is an ideal opportunity to enrich students’ experiences with classical music in a fun and competitive environment. This contest connects high school students with classical music and enhances their ability to identify composers, periods, and styles. In the fall, teachers or coaches recruit three students to form a team. Team members receive a study guide and access to all the musical selections they will need to compete effectively.

The mission of the Music Listening Contest is to assist teachers in their efforts to expand the music experiences of students—primarily through the use of Western art music, commonly referred to as classical music. The contest materials cover classical music, global perspectives, and a variety of musical influences. The objective of the contest is to inspire students to become lifelong participants in the musical experience.