If you've spent any time in a high school music wing lately, you've probably heard the buzz about the nebraska all state orchestra and the mix of excitement and pure nerves that comes with it. For string players and wind/percussion students across the state, this is basically the Super Bowl of high school music. It's that one weekend in November when the best of the best descend on Lincoln to make some incredible music, but the journey to get there is a whole story in itself.
Most people don't realize just how much work goes into those three days of rehearsals and the final performance. It's not just about showing up and playing; it's a months-long grind that starts way back in the late summer or early fall when the audition materials are finally released.
The Stress and Success of Auditions
Let's be real: the audition process for the nebraska all state orchestra is kind of a gauntlet. You get these excerpts that are often way harder than anything you're playing in your daily orchestra class. You're sitting in a practice room, drilling the same sixteen bars of Mozart or Brahms until you can play them in your sleep, all for a recording that lasts maybe five or ten minutes.
It's a weird kind of pressure. Unlike a live solo competition where you get one shot and it's over, the recording process lets you try again—but that can be a trap. You end up doing thirty takes of the same scale because you didn't like the way one note sounded in the second octave. By the time you actually submit your audition to the Nebraska Music Education Association (NMEA), you're usually sick of the music, but that's the price you pay for a chance to sit on that stage.
When the results finally drop in October, it's a day of refreshing the NMEA website every five minutes. Seeing your name on that list is a huge "breathe a sigh of relief" moment. It's a validation of all those hours spent ignoring your friends to practice shifting into thumb position or perfecting your vibrato.
What the Weekend Actually Feels Like
Once you actually make it, the real fun—and the real work—begins. Usually held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the nebraska all state orchestra weekend is a whirlwind. You show up on Wednesday or Thursday, find your chair placement (which is another mini-nerve-wracking moment), and then you dive straight into the deep end.
Rehearsals are long. We're talking six to eight hours a day of intense, focused playing. It's physically exhausting. Your neck hurts, your fingers are sore, and your brain is basically fried by the time you hit the dinner break. But there's something about being in a room where every single person is just as talented and dedicated as you are. The sound of a full symphony orchestra, with a massive brass section and a lush string section, is enough to give you chills even when you're just tuning.
The guest conductors they bring in are always top-tier. These aren't just your local teachers—though our local teachers are great—they're usually world-class directors from major universities or professional orchestras. They push you in ways you didn't know you could be pushed. They'll spend forty-five minutes on three measures of music just to get the "color" right, and suddenly, the piece sounds completely different than it did when you were practicing it alone in your basement.
The Social Scene in Lincoln
One of the best parts of the nebraska all state orchestra isn't even the music—it's the people. Nebraska is a big state, and if you're from a smaller town or a school that doesn't have a huge strings program, it can feel a little isolating. All-State is where you meet your "people."
You'll find yourself sitting at a table in the student union with kids from Omaha, Gering, Kearney, and Norfolk, all bonding over how hard the Tchaikovsky excerpt was or how much they love (or hate) their school's marching band uniforms. Many of the friendships started during that November weekend in Lincoln end up lasting through college and beyond.
There's also a weird sense of camaraderie that comes from being stuck in a hotel with a bunch of other music nerds. Whether it's late-night pizza runs or trying to cram a double bass into a crowded elevator, those are the memories that stick with you long after you've forgotten exactly what the repertoire was.
The Performance and the "All-State High"
By Saturday, everyone is running on caffeine and adrenaline. The final concert at the Lied Center is the culmination of everything. There's something magical about that venue. When the lights go down and the conductor walks out, the atmosphere is electric.
Playing in the nebraska all state orchestra final concert is an experience you can't really replicate. When the final chord of a big symphony rings out and the audience erupts, it's an incredible rush. You're exhausted, your back is killing you, and you're probably ready to sleep for three days straight, but you also don't want it to end.
Leaving Lincoln on Saturday evening is always a bit bittersweet. You've just spent several days in this high-intensity musical bubble, and suddenly you're heading back to your regular life where you have to worry about math homework and Monday morning orchestra rehearsals where not everyone has practiced their parts. That "All-State high" usually lasts a week or two, and it's often the thing that motivates people to keep playing through the winter.
Why It's Worth the Effort
You might wonder if all that stress and practice is actually worth it just for one weekend of music. If you ask anyone who has participated in the nebraska all state orchestra, the answer is almost always a resounding yes.
It's not just about the music you play; it's about what you learn about yourself. You learn how to manage your time, how to handle high-stakes pressure, and how to collaborate with people you've never met. For many, it's the moment they realize they want to pursue music in college or at least keep it as a major part of their lives.
Even if you don't plan on being a professional musician, having "Nebraska All State" on your resume or college application says a lot. It tells people that you have the discipline to stick with something difficult and the talent to rise to the top of your field. But honestly, most of the kids there aren't thinking about their resumes. They're just there because they love the way it feels to be part of something bigger than themselves.
Tips for Future Auditionees
If you're thinking about trying out for the nebraska all state orchestra next year, my biggest advice is to start early. Don't wait until the week before the recording is due to look at the excerpts. Get a private teacher if you can, or at least play for your school director as often as possible.
Also, don't let the "selectivity" of it scare you off. Even if you don't make it the first time you try, the act of preparing for the audition will make you a ten times better player than you were before. You'll learn techniques and pieces you never would have touched otherwise.
And if you do make it? Soak in every second of it. Don't spend the whole time stressed about your chair placement or the difficult passages. Talk to the person sitting next to you, listen to the guest conductor's stories, and enjoy the feeling of playing in one of the best ensembles in the Midwest. It's a short weekend, but it's one you'll probably remember for the rest of your life.
The nebraska all state orchestra is a tradition that really shows off the talent we have in this state. From the first note of the audition recording to the final bow on the Lied Center stage, it's a journey that every high school musician should at least try to take. It's tough, it's tiring, but man, it is so worth it.