Seniors Carleigh Pollock, Nina Arntsen, Emmelyn Nguyen and Helena Vassiliades have been close friends since they met in middle school choir class.

“Music is what brought us together and it’s kind of the glue that holds us together,” Pollock says.

Last month,  they were  excited — and more than a little nervous — to go to all-state together for the first time.

“It has been my goal for several years,” Arnsten said, just before the competition. “I can’t wait to make music with other singers who are as passionate as I am.”

The All-State Choir Competition is the most coveted event for a choir student to compete in. Choir students work hard to be accepted into this competition. The competition provides a chance to compete at a professional level and gives  them the opportunity to work with other singers.

All-State Choir 2017 took place on February 2-4 at the BellCo Theatre in the Colorado Convention Center. In the competition, women’s choir took place in Area F in which 20 girls, including the four K-Park students,  competed. Arntsen took eighth place out of 20, Pollock took sixth, Nguyen took ninth, and Vassiliades took first.

The girls’  interest in singing started before and in middle school. Being in choir for so many years, going to a vocal coach and practicing for eight hours a day helped them to get where they are now which is singing at a professional level.

The competition was a success for them as they gained more experience in this field, emotionally and substantially. They left All-State Choir Competition 2017 satisfied with their newfound philosophy of it.

“It was not what I expected! I was able to grow spiritually and emotionally while bonding with complete strangers through music,” Arntsen says. “It was beyond amazing and I am so grateful.”

For Pollock, the competition inspired her to make a major change to her college plans and her entire career path focus.

“The All-State experience was so rewarding and surreal that it persuaded me to change my major at Texas State University to Music Education,” Pollock says. “I’m taking a leap of faith.”