Dylan Anderson performs at presidential inauguration

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Dylan Anderson, a 2021 graduate of Wayne High School and the son of Derek and Tracy Anderson of Wayne, had the chance of a lifetime. Anderson is a senior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln majoring in music education.

On Jan. 20 the nation watched President Donald Trump being sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. Anderson participated in the University of Nebraska -Lincoln Combined Choirs performing “One Voice” as the prelude for the swearing in at the United States Capitol Rotunda with the U.S. Marine Corp Band.

Republican U.S. Senator Deb Fischer serves on the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC). Fischer invited the choir to perform at the inauguration.

The choir was a combined choir with university singers along with students from the Varsity Men’s Chorus directed by Dr. Peter Eklund and Chorale (Soprano alto) directed by Dr. Marci De Ambrose.

Anderson said they had five rehearsals to get ready for the performance. He was glad they sang a song they had learned in the fall.

On Jan. 17, the group of 120 singers left Lincoln in a chartered plane and landed at the Baltimore International Airport. They were met by buses and transported to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to see many national monuments before checking into their hotel before their first rehearsal in the hotel ballroom.

On Saturday, the choir sang at the National Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception before the 9:30 a.m. Mass. The selection of repertoire included "Yonder Come Day," Randall Thompson’s "Alleluia" and "America the Beautiful."

Sight seeing continued with the Iwo Jima monument and Arlington Cemetery to see the changing of the guard. The group enjoyed a few Smithsonian museums before heading back to the hotel.

Sunday morning the choir met Congressman Mike Flood for a group picture in front of the Capital and then were off to visit more Smithsonian museums. The choir later met U.S. Senator Deb Fischer at the Capital Rotunda for a sound check. They had one last rehearsal at the motel.

Monday came and the buses filled with 120 choir members were taken to the U.S. Capital. They were escorted to the Kennedy Senate Room. They got ready, fixed their scarves with safety pins and were moved into the Rotunda. They performed their song with perfection, moved back to the holding room and then prepared to depart back to Lincoln.

Anderson said it was just a nice experience, and he would not have traded it. He is extremely grateful for the donors who helped them to travel to Washington D.C. without any financial burden.