Bismarck State College presents its 19th year of ChoirFest with college singers combining with top vocalists from 11 area high schools.
Hosted by the Music program Nov. 15-16, ChoirFest offers a college-level music experience with professional instruction from guest clinicians, conductors and BSC faculty. High school students explore learning and performance in rehearsals that culminate in a mass chorus concert at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, in Sidney J. Lee Auditorium. General admission is $10 and $5 for students and seniors at the door.
The concert opens with selections by two all-student groups – the Festival Women's Chorus and the Festival Men's Chorus, accompanied by a quintet of strings and oboe.
Also on the program are performances by the BSC Concert Choir and vocal ensembles, guest choir Jubilaté of the Center Dakota Children's Choir, and the ChoirFest clinician, Inspiraré, a new professional vocal ensemble. Inspiraré is comprised of professionally trained singers and music educators from the Bismarck-Mandan area.
Participating high schools with their directors are Bismarck Century (Mary Archuleta/Allison Brink), Mandan High School (Keri Hess-Bolte), Mott/Regent High School (Truman Savery), Harvey Public School (Heidi Olson), Beulah High School (Phillip Voeller), Hettinger High School (Gina Joyce), Hebron Public School (Laurie Dahlen), New England Public School (Conway Heupel), Strasburg Public School (Jeff Ingerson), New Salem-Almont Public School (Rex Waddingham), and St. Mary's Central High School in Bismarck.
St. Mary's performs under conductor Vicky Boechler as ChoirFest's Selected Feature High School Choir. They will sing Rachmaninoff's "Bogoroditse Devo," (Russian, Ave Maria) and the spiritual, "Go Where I Send Thee." The outstanding high school soloist chosen by the clinicians will be announced during the program.
The concert concludes with the 114-voice Festival Chorus singing under the direction of Andrew Miller, BSC choral director and founder and artistic director of Inspiraré. They will sing Rene Clausen's "Set Me as a Seal," "Past Life Melodies" by Sarah Hopkins, and a Keith Hampton arrangement of "Praise His Holy Name." Soloists are BSC students Andrew Wickenheiser, Nia Coley and Tiffany Grannis.
Dawn Hagerott, BSC assistant professor of music, directs the BSC Men's Ensemble and Jubilaté. Miller, an assistant professor of music, conducts the BSC Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and Women's Ensemble. He began composing in 2010 and won first prize in a national choral composition contest in July. His first composition is included in the ChoirFest program.
About Bismarck State College
Bismarck State College, an innovative community college in Bismarck, N.D., offers high quality education, workforce training, and enrichment programs reaching local and global communities.
Hosted by the Music program Nov. 15-16, ChoirFest offers a college-level music experience with professional instruction from guest clinicians, conductors and BSC faculty. High school students explore learning and performance in rehearsals that culminate in a mass chorus concert at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, in Sidney J. Lee Auditorium. General admission is $10 and $5 for students and seniors at the door.
The concert opens with selections by two all-student groups – the Festival Women's Chorus and the Festival Men's Chorus, accompanied by a quintet of strings and oboe.
Also on the program are performances by the BSC Concert Choir and vocal ensembles, guest choir Jubilaté of the Center Dakota Children's Choir, and the ChoirFest clinician, Inspiraré, a new professional vocal ensemble. Inspiraré is comprised of professionally trained singers and music educators from the Bismarck-Mandan area.
Participating high schools with their directors are Bismarck Century (Mary Archuleta/Allison Brink), Mandan High School (Keri Hess-Bolte), Mott/Regent High School (Truman Savery), Harvey Public School (Heidi Olson), Beulah High School (Phillip Voeller), Hettinger High School (Gina Joyce), Hebron Public School (Laurie Dahlen), New England Public School (Conway Heupel), Strasburg Public School (Jeff Ingerson), New Salem-Almont Public School (Rex Waddingham), and St. Mary's Central High School in Bismarck.
St. Mary's performs under conductor Vicky Boechler as ChoirFest's Selected Feature High School Choir. They will sing Rachmaninoff's "Bogoroditse Devo," (Russian, Ave Maria) and the spiritual, "Go Where I Send Thee." The outstanding high school soloist chosen by the clinicians will be announced during the program.
The concert concludes with the 114-voice Festival Chorus singing under the direction of Andrew Miller, BSC choral director and founder and artistic director of Inspiraré. They will sing Rene Clausen's "Set Me as a Seal," "Past Life Melodies" by Sarah Hopkins, and a Keith Hampton arrangement of "Praise His Holy Name." Soloists are BSC students Andrew Wickenheiser, Nia Coley and Tiffany Grannis.
Dawn Hagerott, BSC assistant professor of music, directs the BSC Men's Ensemble and Jubilaté. Miller, an assistant professor of music, conducts the BSC Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and Women's Ensemble. He began composing in 2010 and won first prize in a national choral composition contest in July. His first composition is included in the ChoirFest program.
About Bismarck State College
Bismarck State College, an innovative community college in Bismarck, N.D., offers high quality education, workforce training, and enrichment programs reaching local and global communities.