Freshman Roman Bunn is the only person at Kickapoo this year to make all state orchestra this year.

    All state orchestra is a four day event that is held at the Tantarra resort in the Lake of Ozarks. Hundreds of students across the state audition for this event, and only 30 people are accepted.

   The people accepted are sent music to practice until the concert.

   At the concert they will practice the music all together. The group of all state students will rehearse January 25-28 of 2023 and the concert will be in the evening on the 28th.

   Roman has been playing the violin for a little over four years, and goes to private lessons weekly with a professor at MSU. He independently practices about two to three hours a day.

   “I felt surprised when I first found out that I made it. It felt really good, but I felt bad for my friends who didn’t make it. Overall though I felt really excited,” Bunn said.

   Several students at Kickapoo auditioned for all state, many of which are Roman’s friends. 

  “I felt guilty because it feels unfair. My friends did everything right too. They woke up at 4AM, and drove all the way to Columbia to audition too, and I made it and they didn’t. They were really supportive of me though,” Bunn said.

   Bunn loves to play the violin because of the feeling it gives him. 

   “I enjoy music because I feel connected to it. I get really into it and can visualize what the music looks like,” Bunn said. 

   All of his classmates and his teacher, Mrs. Honeycutt are so proud of him for this astounding accomplishment.

   “When I first found out she [Mrs. Honeycutt] sent me a text telling me she was proud of the accomplishments. She was very happy,” Bunn said.