More than 250 high school vocal students representing 50 high schools from Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota showcased their talent during Wayne State College’s Honor Choir concert recently.
The concert was also livestreamed and recorded. To view the concert, go to www.wsc.edu/watch-live and click the “Watch past events here” link.
The concert featured a treble choir and mixed choir. Participants were selected based on auditions from more than 50 schools.
Throughout the day, students studied technique and practiced repertoire for the concert. The treble choir was conducted by Abby Sheppard, a vocal music teacher at Sioux City East High School. The mixed choir was conducted by Dr. Matthew Armstrong, director of choral activities at Wayne State.
“This phenomenal event is such an honor to host,” Armstrong said. “Each year, we have more and more students who attend our Honor Choir concert, and the remarkable feedback we receive is helpful in planning next year’s event.”
Repertoire included “Heartland” by Gary Fry, a contemporary piece written in the style of pop artist Bruce Hornsby; “A Farewell” by Matthew and Shelly Armstrong, collaborative pianist at Wayne State, with text by Alfred, Lord Tennyson; and “The Call” by Iowa composer Adam Orban with text by George Herbert.
The choirs also joined Dr. Matthew Clegg, tenor soloist and vocal instructor at Wayne State, for the finale selection, the famous 19th century Italian piece “Funiculi, Funicula.”
“It was an absolute pleasure to have so many talented vocalists around me during this outstanding concert finale,” Clegg said. “All of these students worked extremely hard all day, and it definitely showed during the finale.”
For more information regarding music programs of study at Wayne State, contact the Wayne State Department of Music at 402-375-7359.
Those participants from local schools include:
Laurel-Concord-Coleridge:
Kassidy Koch, Soprano II.
Wakefield:
Joaquin Chavez, Bass I; Kinslee Metzler, Soprano II; McKinnley Mogus, Tenor I; Jackson Pommer, Tenor II; Dorothy Sullivan, Alto II and Bailey Kai, Soprano I.
Wayne:
Kenna Blecke, Alto I; Olivia Hanson, Alto I; Grace Junck, Alto I; Adrienne Anderson, Alto II; Jordyn Clinchard, Alto II; Madalyn Franta, Alto II; Jacen Hasemann, Alto II; Gavin Anderson, Bass I; Jacob Barner, Bass I; Wanso Barner, Bass I; Ceilus Ibarra, Bass I; Colby Raulston, Bass I;
Gabriel Armstrong, Bass II; Adrian Klinetobe, Bass II; Norah Armstrong, Soprano II; Landen Claussen, Tenor I; Aiden Bohnert, Tenor II; Abigail Hawthorne, Alto II; Anna Naeve, Soprano I; Riley Olson, Soprano II and Sharon Vaszquez, Soprano II.
