Saline Choir, Local Singers Named Among Michigan’s Best at All-State Festival

Chelsea, Saline, Milan students among elite soloists, choir members

Singers from Saline, Milan and Chelsea were selected to participate in the Michigan School Vocal Music Association All-State Festival held May 7-9 in East Lansing, an honor reserved for some of the state’s top student vocalists.

Saline’s Chamber Choir was chosen as one of Michigan’s three Outstanding Choirs and performed at the All-State Gala, while students from Saline, Chelsea and Milan were selected for solo and duet performances and the prestigious All-State Honors Choir. 

Saline choir director Sarah Deas said this was the first time the Chamber Choir has earned this honor.

“I knew I had to apply for the Outstanding Choir honor this year based on this choir’s skill level and readiness,” Deas said. “Additionally, we have a particularly strong senior class of performers this year, and I really wanted to showcase their singing at the top MSVMA event to cap off their experience in our program.”

Amy Schroeder, director of the All-State Festival, said Saline was selected through a rigorous audition process as one of the top three choirs in the state.

Deas said the students enjoyed exploring the Michigan State University campus and hearing performances from other student ensembles around the state before taking the stage themselves.

“The Chamber Choir was super proud of our final set of pieces, and we had a blast performing them together one last time,” Deas said. “We performed a pretty eclectic set of music including an African-American Spiritual, an emotional and somewhat “jazz-like” love ballad, and a super energetic Haitian piece about Rara carnival music with some percussion.”

Soloists & Duet Performers

Chelsea junior Emily Ideson and Saline senior Reece Welliver were chosen as two of the top 13 soloists statewide.

Ideson performed “Langs ei A” by Edvard Greig and “Poor Wandr’ing One” from The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert & Sullivan.

Welliver performed two classical art songs, including one in German. 

“In Amor, I got to bring out my acting skills,” Welliver said. “I also had contrasting staccato lines in that song, then more legato lines in Liebst du um Schönheit.”

Saline seniors Cooper Bush and Evan Schlitt also were selected to perform a musical theater duet featuring music from Big Fish and The Secret Garden.

“Their performances were such beautiful culminations of all of their hard work as singers, and they really got to show off their professional skill as seniors,” Deas said. “Their acting and stage presence was particularly great.”

Welliver, Bush and Schlitt said choir gave them a sense of community, while helping build confidence beyond music.

All-State Honors Choir

Milan junior Meghan Helfin and Chelsea Sophomore Charlotte Schmunk performed as members of the 80-member All-State Honors Choir, which features top student vocalists from across Michigan.

Helfin said she worked hard on her tone, pitch and sight reading in hopes of being selected.

“I learned so much about music theory. It was so interesting,” Helfin said. “I really enjoyed being a part of such an amazing choir. I made so many amazing friends.”

Schmunk said she was surprised by how much singers learned during the intensive rehearsals.

“Between the seven-hour rehearsals, and performance I learned a lot,” Schmunk said. “We focused a lot on the phonetical alphabet, and our overall vowels, as well as how important emphasis on select syllables can be. Of course we realize this in our everyday choirs, but it’s a skill that must become much more refined to sing with 80 singers.”

Schmunk said her favorite selection was the world premiere of “Dream Song” by Sean Ivory. 

“I enjoyed this piece not only because of the premiere, but also the story that you can find behind the song, and how it can be adapted to many scenarios and overall lives today,” Schmunk said.

Students qualify for the All-State Honors Choir through multiple rounds of auditions beginning with regional honors choir competitions in the fall.

“The All-State Choir is selected amongst the highest scoring students across our state through two rounds of rigorous auditions,” Chelsea choir director Ken Davis said.

The All State Choir sang under the direction of Dr. Amanda Quist, WMU Choral Director.

Their pieces included Dream Song by Sean Ivory, which was commissioned specifically for the 2026 All-State Choir.