This year, seven Burlingame students were selected to participate in California’s All-State music program, a set of competitive ensembles featuring the state’s best musicians from among thousands of applicants. Sophomores Nick Koomey, Alona Savella, Aidan Vega, and junior Siena Polasek were selected for vocal jazz. Freshman Shonna Foo will play first violin in the symphony orchestra, junior Jaslene Lai will be a pianist in symphonic band, and senior William Kwok will play tuba for the wind symphony.
On paper, the audition process appears straightforward: applicants submit recordings of a few select songs and musical scales. Getting selected, however, is not — according to music director Kyoko Yamamoto, while over 4,050 Californian students auditioned this year, the program only has room for around 100 per ensemble and a mere 16 per chorus. Students — even experienced players — must spend hours diligently practicing to make All-State a reality. Foo, for instance, spent over 11 hours across five days just perfecting the recordings, while Lai burned through over 300 takes to get it right, according to Yamamoto.
For Savella, Lai, and Kwok — all repeat All-State attendees — the hard work is worth the payoff. For Kwok, getting to meet fellow musicians was one of the most rewarding parts of All-State.
“Just interacting with other musicians — I think that’s the best part,” Kwok said.
He first auditioned as a sophomore after hearing about the program from friends, and the collaboration aspect was what brought him back ever since.
“The ceiling is incredibly high, and I find it motivating to be surrounded by like-minded individuals. You’re able to get so much more done because you always have people around you that know what position you’re in, and they’re motivating you,” Kwok said. “Honestly, a lot of other people have done some crazy things in All-State. I’m in the same room with all these other people. I find that to be [an] amazing experience.”
Savella was similarly motivated. As the only selected vocalist from Burlingame last year, she was nervous going in but quickly came to enjoy performing with peers from across the state.
“I learned that it’s really important to get to know people when you sing, because when I became friends with those people, we sounded a lot better,” Savella said. “It’s just better to have that special connection with people when singing.”
For Yamamoto, four Burlingame students being selected for the vocal jazz ensemble is an achievement. Out of hundreds of applicants, only 16 make the cut; this year, Burlingame students represent a quarter of the total group.
“We don’t have a vocal jazz program, but I kind of switched the curriculum from traditional chorus to jazz, so it really brings us joy [to see this],” Yamamoto said.
Taking place between January 15-19, All-State involves hours of rehearsals leading up to a final performance. Yamamoto said she always attends all the performances in person to cherish her students’ accomplishments.
“It really makes me so proud of my students, because [it represents all the] work that they put into [it],” Yamamoto said. “It’s just seeing your own students shining on the stage. I’m so proud [of them].”
Though the performance is still over a month away, Foo won’t stop practicing anytime soon. She’s a first-time All-State participant, but her nine years of music experience have taught her the importance of consistently developing musicality and technique.
“It’s built into your system. If you’ve played violin for more than one year, you’ll know you need to practice, no matter what,” Foo said.
As the year approaches its end, the musicians — new and experienced alike — can look forward to continuing their musical journey. That said, All-State is neither the start nor end of this journey, just a milestone.
“I’ve learned a lot since my first year. I’ve had a lot more orchestra experience, and I know a lot more people and music,” Kwok said. “I’m just hoping I can end out my time at All-State on a really positive note.”
