KINGFISHER CHOIR IS SUPERIOR AT SEILING MUSIC FESTIVAL
On Saturday April 6, the Kingfisher Upper Elementary (5th/6th) Choir and the Kingfisher Junior High Choirs participated in the Seiling Music Festival.
Ruth Dwyer and Martin Ellis’s French folk song “J’entend le Moulin” was one of the songs sung by the Upper Elementary as well as James DesJardins’s “Storm.” Samuel Takape could be seen playing the djembe drum during the piece.
The newest addition to Kingfisher’s competition, the Junior High Women’s Choir, performed songs such as the spiritual “I’ve Been In the Storm So Long” arranged by Christi Jones and “Whatever Is True” by Michael John Trotta.
The Junior High Mixed Choir sang a South African song titled “Freedom Is Coming” by Henry Leck, a Haitian folk song “Fey O!” arranged by Ruth Morris Gray, and “Bringers of Noise” by Kyle Pederson.
With any good competition, there is always a more challenging, risky piece. “Bringers of Noise” was that piece. The challenge was the song’s narration, nonsense words, stomping, and drumming. The judges were thoroughly impressed with this “out of the ordinary” piece. It’s safe to say the risk paid off. The Junior High Choir will again be performing this song at the spring concert on April 29th at the Heritage Auditorium at 6:30 P.M.
Aside from the choirs, several students also performed solos, duets, and ensembles. The Upper Elementary had 12 soloists, 2 duets, and 2 large ensembles. The Junior High had 5 soloists, and 1 duet with the Mixed Choir having 2 large ensembles and the Women’s Choir having 1 large ensemble. Each ensemble is made up of 10 individuals.
Although many different songs were sung by students of all ages there was one thing they all had in common. Every single choir, ensemble, duet and solo earned a superior rating at the music festival.
*Soloists included 5th graders Lilly Larsen, Mckenzy Wilson, Elizabeth Click, Scarlet Heckman, Natalie Grunke, Dominic Long, and Rylee Johnson; 6th graders Valeria Rodriguez, Sydney Snyder, Brailyn Schroeder, Evelyn Martin, and Hannah Johnson; 7th graders Parker LeForce, and Abigail Smith and 8th graders Haven Branson, Thaddaeus Stephenson, and Shilo Willingham.
*Duets consisted of 5th graders Elizabeth Click and Reid Swafford; 6th graders Hannah Johnson and Evelyn Martin and 8th graders Shilo Willingham and Gisselle Ponce.
Information and images provided by Diann Magnus, Upper Elementary – High School Choir Director | Story by AAK Maitland Pickle
Front row: Valeria Rodriguez, Grace Valencia, Cohen Wallace, Brailyn Schroeder, Tinlie Davidson, Avert Harder, Scarlett Heckman, Fatima Munoz, Jacqueline Munoz, Elizabeth Click, Lilly Larsen, Ren Aadalen, Beau Brueggen
Front row: Mariana Ramirez, Shilo Willingham, Addison Farrar, Damien Nunnelly, Abigail Smith, Thaddaeus Stephenson, Gisselle Ponce, Riley Crosswhite, Paisley Parrott