After two long days of intense practicing, six of our best singers performed in the State Honors Choir on January 27. The State Honors Choir Program was split into three different sections: The High School SSAA, SATB, and TTBB Honors Choir Programs. Kate DeKryger, Emily Haan, and Carissa Katje sang with the High School SATB Honors Choir Program conducted by Brandon Johnson while Tyler Elliott, David Vasquez, and Elaine Vasquez performed with the High School TTBB Honors Choir Program, conducted by Eugene Rogers. None of our students were selected to perform with the SSAA program.
The performance started out with the SSAA Honors Choir Program, conducted by Virginia Kerwin. They sang six songs, starting with ‘Ad Amore’ by Lee Kesselman, a stunning fanfare-like concert opener. They then sang ‘Psalm 150’ by Brandon Ulrich followed by ‘The Roof’ by Andrea Ramsey, a Regional Honors Choir song. They then picked up the pace with ‘El Vito,’ arranged by Joni Jensen, with folding fan choreography increasing the level of excitement. After that, they slowed it down a little with an emotional piece titled ‘No Time,’ arranged by Susan Brumfield. To finish out the SSAA portion of the concert, they sang ‘This Train’ by Gwyneth Walker, another Regional Honors Choir piece. This song was upbeat and fun, with train sounds included.
The next choir to sing was the SATB Choir. They also sang six songs. They started off their portion with ‘Dies Irae,’ a short piece by famous composer W. A. Mozart. They then sang ‘Shestopsalmiye’ by Rachmaninoff, a difficult piece sung completely in Russian. The next song was ‘NyonNyon’ by Jake Runestad, a complicated but fun song with clashing notes, no distinguishable words, and cool sound effects, all a capella. After that, they sang two similar pieces: ‘Moonlight Sound Design’ by Raimond Tiguls and ‘Stars’ by Ēriks Ešenvalds. These were both very ethereal songs. ‘Moonlight Sound Design’ included an instrument called the Hang (looks like a grill cover, sounds like a steel drum) while ‘Stars’ used rubbing the rims of six glasses. The SATB Choir closed out their time with ‘Way Over in Beulah Land,’ arranged by Stacey Gibbs. This was another Regional Honors Choir song and is an upbeat song written in times of slavery.
The final choir to perform was the TTBB Choir, starting with a song titled ‘Everyone Sang’ by Paul John Rudoi, followed by a Peruvian hymn tune, written in European classical style titled ‘Hanacpachap’ by Perez, arranged by Eugene Rogers, the conductor of the TTBB Choir. They followed that up with ‘Convidando’ by Juan Garcia de Zespedés with several solos from members of the choir, another Regional’s song. ‘Convidando’ was a Spanish tune written in the 1600s with calm parts and also exciting drum parts. After that was the last Regional Honors Choir song: ‘Ballade to the Moon’ by Daniel Elder. They ended the concert with two American based pieces: ‘The Map’ by J. David Moore and ‘Come and Go to that Land’ arranged by Brandon Waddles. ‘The Map’ is all about Michigan and the many things that you can see here while ‘Come and Go to that Land’ is a gospel song with a tambourine and bass drum.
Overall, being at the State Honors Choir Performance was a true blessing. Many of the people who were asked about the concert said that they enjoyed it and that they would go and see it again. Our school is blessed with some amazing singers and we should be willing to support anyone from our school who goes above and beyond expectations. Several of our singers moved up to All State: the highest vocal music level to be attained. The All State Choir is composed of 100-120 singers from the three different State Honors Choir, each with around 100 singers.. Go and support Kate DeKryger, Tyler Elliott, and David Vasquez at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival in Kalamazoo on Saturday, May 12 at 2:30.
