News

Milestone for OPUS: Most successful year in our district’s history

This year marked a historic milestone for OPUS, as it stands out as the most successful in our district’s history. This fall, a remarkable eighty-one students from Ankeny Community School District, spanning grades sixth through ninth, earned the privilege of participating in the esteemed 37th Annual Opus Honor Choir Festival hosted by the Iowa Choral Directors Association. This achievement not only surpassed the representation of any other school district in the state but also set a new record in Ankeny’s own history.

Out of a pool of over twenty-four hundred nominated students, spanning the specified grades, the diligent efforts of Ankeny students resulted in securing one hundred-eighty coveted positions across the four OPUS Honor Choirs. The selection process involved judges evaluating recorded auditions from each nominated student. The grand culmination of this achievement took place on Thursday, November 16, when the 2023 Opus Honor Choirs delivered a stellar performance at CY Stephens Auditorium in Ames.

Heartfelt congratulations are extended to the numerous Ankeny students who dedicated themselves to this endeavor, with special recognition to the exceptional talents of the following selected musicians and their directors: Emma Feldhans and David Sponder from Parkview; Emily Battani and Lisa Rehms from Prairie Ridge; Riley Anderson and Samantha Thomas from Northview; and Jill Bjorklund and Nick Oswald from Southview. Notably, Sebastian Rivera-Alvarez from Prairie Ridge, along with Evan Bahr, Will Heldt, and Ty Porter from Northview, and William Peterson, William Peverill, and Luke Vesperman from Southview, earned the distinguished honor of being selected as solo finalists for the festival, with Ty Porter additionally earning the prestigious distinction of being chosen as a soloist.

A resounding congratulations to all for this outstanding achievement!

PV=Parkview
PR=Prairie Ridge
SV=Southview
NV=Northview

^Alternate
*Solo Finalist
#Selected Soloist
~Selected for All-State Choir

5th/6th Choir
Beckett Adams (PV)
Kenzie Collum (PV)
Lilly Gardner (PR)
Matthew Houser (PR)
Hayden Kent (PV)
Gracyn Leaper (PV)
Amanda Mitchell (PV)
Liv Riley (PV)
Jordyn Robbins (PV)
Cambriah Van Horn (PV)

7th/8th Bass Clef Choir
Ian Anderson (NV)
*Evan Bahr (NV)
Chatham Beck (PR)
Roman Bockes (PV)
Jared Bond (NV)
Maxwell Danielson (SV)
Brody Ford (SV)
Logan Freeseman (SV)
Alex Fritz (PV)
Alex Hall (SV)
*Will Heldt (NV)
Martell Holloway (SV)
August Lehman (SV)
Luke Menke (PV)
Joseph Montgomery (SV)
Adrian Moralez (SV)
Ben Niermeyer (SV)
Charles ONeal (SV)
*William Peterson (SV)
*William Peverill (SV)
#Ty Porter (NV)
Derek Pross (SV)
*Sebastian Rivera-Alvarez (PR)
Xander Schmitz (SV)
Grant Van Thomme (SV)
*Luke Vesperman (SV)
Weston White (PV)
Joseph Wilburn (SV)

7th/8th Treble Clef Choir
Elin Alber (SV)
Angelina Bezuhlova (SV)
Cadence Bishop (NV)
Krista Bogers (NV)
Camryn Bright (SV)
Kylie Butcher (SV)
Gwen Carl (SV)
Delaney DeAngelo (NV)
Ellie Espe (SV)
Peyton Griffith (NV)
Haylee Johnson (PV)
Zena Jorgensen (NV)
Audi Munoz (PR)
Megan Paintner (SV)
Grace Poskevich (NV)
Madi Shreffler (PR)
Elisabeth Skog (PR)
Autumn Underwood (NV)
Mercy Unguec (SV)
Camryn Van Houten (SV)

9th Mixed Choir
^Avery A’Hearn (NV)
Austin Albaugh (SV)
Mila Badillo (SV)
Calista Beck (NV)
Calvin Brincks (NV)
Dagny Bubon (SV)
Seth Buxton (SV)
Caleb Crouse (SV)
Emily Doubleday (SV)
Natalie Ford (SV)
Maylin Gustafson (SV)
Jack Kent (SV)
Andrew Langholz (NV)
~JJ Menke (SV)
~Logan Peterson (SV)
Sara Phillips (SV)
Gus Ringholz (NV)
Blake Sauer (SV)
^Ryan Schumacher (SV)
Kylee Shanks (SV)
Berritt Sipes (SV)
^Alaina Wesner (NV)
Gabby Williams (SV)