By: Lars Ginder, Writer
Photos retrieved from the McKendree University Department of Music Facebook page
On Monday night, McKendree students, high school student visitors, and members of the community gathered for the Fall 2022 Music Department Showcase concert. This event started off the student ensemble performance season and featured a diverse collection of pieces ranging in period, mood, and style.
Students from local high schools joined the McKendree concert band and choir for pieces “Allied Honor” and “Home.” The McKendree music department would like to thank all of the following students for joining us for our Music Major Experience Day:
Carter Allison – Jersey Community High School
Lawson Erwin – Olney Central College
Turner Fravell – Staunton High School
Karina Herrera – Belleville West High School
Phoenix Honzell – Rockwood Summit High School
Kit Litteken – Mascoutah High School
Merris McDuffie – Jersey Community High School
Duncan McRae – Edwardsville High School
Jack Sigafoos – Staunton High School
According to Dr. John McDonald, Director of Concert Choir & Chamber Choir, “The annual Fall Music Department Showcase is a wonderful opportunity to feature the instrumental and vocal ensembles here at McKendree. Eighty students were involved in this past Monday’s concert, many of whom participated in both band and choir, and put on a wonderful performance displaying the time and effort they have put into the music over the first six weeks of the semester.”
Dr. McDonald remarks, “After the last several years of protocols and room capacity limitations, it was wonderful to see (and hear!) so many supporters in the audience. We hope you will join us for future performances!”
The night concluded with energetic applause, and the concert was truly a memorable experience.
Anyone that missed the event is welcome to watch the livestream recording and view the concert program.
Mark Your Calendars: Oct. 20!
For those interested in joining us for future events, our fifth annual Choral Invitational Festival will be Thursday, October 20th. Singers from Edwardsville High School, Marquette Catholic High School, and Mascoutah High School will join the McKendree choirs for a performance at 7:00 pm that evening in the Hettenhausen Center for the Arts. Kansas City-based composer, Ryan Main, will be on campus for the festival. He will work with the high schools in the afternoon and then conduct two of his compositions with combined choirs in the concert.
Director of Bands, Dr. Moder-Bell states, “The Music Department Showcase Concert is a wonderful performance opportunity to feature four of our musical ensembles at the start of the semester. With giving our first performance before midterms, we are motivated to improve as individual musicians and ensembles from our very first rehearsals. I was extremely proud of all the performers for giving such a high-quality concert. We hope you will join us for our Christmas concert on Friday, December 2.”
For more information visit https://www.mckendree.edu/academics/info/college/arts-sciences/arts/music/events/index.php.
Special thanks to Dr. McDonald for helping provide the information used in this article.
