GJHS music students honored

Two GJHS cellists made it to this year’s All-State Orchestra

Rhys Martinez, Reporter • January 30, 2024

The 2023-24 All-State Orchestra includes two cellists from Grand Junction High School, senior Nicholas Berry and junior Emily Larsen. The All-State Orchestra performance will be Feb. 1-3 at the amphitheater at the Fort Collins University Center for the Arts.

The 2023-24 Colorado All-State Orchestra is here, and this year two Junction cellists have made it.

Nicholas Berry is a senior cellist from Grand Junction High School who was accepted into the All-State orchestra for the first time his sophomore year. Berry has been a cellist every year of high school and was recommended to audition by orchestra instructor Nicole Roos.

“I’ve been playing cello my whole life, since when I was five and taking private lessons with my dad,” said Berry

Emily Larsen is a junior cellist at GJHS and the other Junction student to make it to All-State. Larsen has been playing cello since middle school and made it to All-State for the first time this year.

“I’m really passionate about music and I love cello, and All-State was a really good opportunity for me to push myself,” said Larsen.

Since 1952, the All-State Orchestra has taken the top 200 kids in the state to the Fort Collins University Center for the Arts. For three days there is an intense rehearsal so each student can perform their best. Then judges decide the best from each section and organize a final performance with all of the students at the end for all of the families.

“You get the music six months early and you start practicing it, then you get there and they have judges that’ll give you a couple random spots in the music,” said Berry.

The All-State Orchestra performance will be on Feb. 1-3 at the amphitheater at the Fort Collins University Center for the Arts. It will be open to families and friends of all competitors. This event will be streamed on YouTube for all those who wish to watch it at home.

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About the Contributors

Rhys Martinez, Reporter

Rhys Martinez is a sophomore at GJHS. He is a reporter for the Orange and Black newspaper. He likes building project cars, writing, playing basketball and football, and playing video games. He joined in the second semester of the 2023-24 school year.

Serenity Schmidt, Co-Managing Editor

Serenity is a senior and a co-managing editor for the GJHS Orange & Black. She has been on the O&B since her sophomore year. She is passionate about music and reading, and she also enjoys being outdoors. This year she hopes to help improve the O&B overall.