UNI All-State Vocal Summit
October 4-5, 2026
At UNI, we know the All-State season can be intense. The UNI All State Vocal Summit is designed to give your singers extra tools and encouragement in a supportive, high-level environment. Students will rehearse and perform the All-State repertoire with peers from across Iowa, while also receiving feedback in guided mock auditions run by our choral education majors. In addition, the UNI Voice Faculty will offer mini-lessons and targeted guidance on difficult passages within the All State repertoire.
Some singers will use the Summit to polish their audition; others will enjoy the chance to perform the repertoire in a full-voiced setting, no matter the audition outcome. Either way, they’ll return to your classroom more confident, motivated, and ready to contribute.
Each year, the Summit brings together a team of conductors who model a range of perspectives and leadership styles, so every singer can see themselves reflected in the process. And while UNI is proud to host, this is not a recruitment showcase or personality-driven event. It is about serving students, supporting teachers, and celebrating great choral music together.
John Len Wiles is Associate Professor of Choral Music at UNI where he conducts Concert Chorale, the Cecilians, and the UNI Varsity Men's Glee Club, and teaches undergraduate and graduate conducting and choral literature. Widely respected for his teaching, he is the recipient of multiple teaching awards at the University of Northern Iowa and the University of Texas at Austin. An active clinician and guest conductor, Dr. Wiles has appeared as a conductor throughout the United States and Europe.
Contact:
John.Wiles@uni.edu
(319) 273-7142
Sara Blessing is Assistant Professor of Instruction in Choral Music Education at UNI where she conducts Cantorei and teaches choral music education. Prior to her appointment at UNI, she was Director of Choral Activities at Graceland University. Sara has conducted a variety of regional honor choirs and has been a guest clinician at several schools around the Midwest. In 2016, she was the recipient of Graceland University’s Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching, for which she was nominated by her students.
Contact:
Sara.Blessing@uni.edu
(319) 273-2600