William/Hope Karels Selected for South Dakota All-State Band
William/Hope Karels Selected
for South Dakota All-State Band
The 71st Annual South Dakota All-State Band will be staged March 26-27 at the Mitchell Performing Arts Center in Mitchell. William and Hope Karels, children of Jason and Susan Karels, were selected for the event. William, a junior, was selected as first chair tuba in the Wallace Ensemble. He is one of 12 tubas. Hope, a freshman, was selected second chair bass clarinet in the LaCognata ensemble. She is one of eight bass clarinets from across the state selected for the top high school band in South Dakota.
Because of Covid, the traditional two bands were further divided into four bands to achieve social distancing during rehearsals and the performance. The Wallace Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Jacob Wallace of South Dakota State University, Brookings, will rehearse and perform in concert on March 26. The LaCognata Ensemble, directed by Dr. John LaCognata of the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, will rehearse and perform in concert on March 27.
The members of the 2021 South Dakota All-State Band have been selected through statewide virtual auditions. The recorded auditions were adjudicated by four South Dakota music professors.
Accompanying William and Hope to the event will be Susan Karels, grades six through 12 band director.
