The Arkansas All-State Music Conference will conclude today with performances by the highest-rated high school musicians in the state.
Rehearsals for several ensembles began on Wednesday before more activities and sessions opened on Thursday. The conference allows students and teachers to attend sessions throughout the week led by music leaders in Arkansas and clinicians from high schools, colleges and universities throughout the country.
The Arkansas Choral Directors Association and Arkansas School Band and Orchestra Association will host concerts midday at the Hot Springs Convention Center. All shows are free and open to the public.
ASBOA performances will open at 11 a.m. in Bank of the Ozarks Arena. ArkCDA concerts will begin at 11:30 a.m. in Hall A with a 50th anniversary celebration.
Students rated the best in the all-state choir auditions were selected for the mixed choir. Other all-state performers were separated into the male chorus and the female chorus.
Courtney DeVane, a senior at Lakeside High School, made the All-State Mixed Choir in an alto II seat. It is the third time DeVane has earned all-state honors.
"It was a lot of hard work and because I have made it before, I presumed that I would make it again, but it takes a lot of hard work because there are so many talented people," Devane said. "You really have to dive into the music. You can't rest on your laurels. You still have to work for it."
Malvern High School's Megan Bailey also earned an alto II seat in the mixed choir, which is scheduled to perform at 1 p.m. The choir's conductor is Gary Morris, visiting instructor of music and director of choirs at Arkansas Tech University.
"My school choir is about 24 people and tomorrow I will sing with 200 people," DeVane said Friday. "It is really awesome getting to sing with so many voices. Together, it's a sound like no other."
Lakeside students selected for the male chorus are Chris Crowe, bass II; Matthew Mangan, tenor I; Noah McClanahan, bass I; Judson Spellings, bass II; and Avery Waid, bass I. The school selections for female chorus were Bailey Case, second seat, alto I; Kate Webb, soprano II; and Kendall Webb, alto I.
Morgan Lee, of Malvern, made the female chorus in a soprano I seat. Magnet Cove High School junior was a soprano II seat for the female chorus.
The male chorus is scheduled to perform at noon and will be directed by Derrick Fox, director of choral activities and assistant professor of music at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. The female chorus is scheduled to follow at 12:30 p.m. under the direction of Michael Dye, choral director at Niceville High School in Florida.
"I love being able to sing with other musicians outside of my school and get to see what other talent there is across the state," DeVane said. "I think it is such an honor to be able to work with such talented conductors and other people around me. It's just a really good experience seeing the talent of other students throughout the state."
The All-State Orchestra is scheduled to start the ASBOA concerts at 11 a.m. The orchestra will be directed by Jean Montès, associate professor of music and director of orchestras for Loyola University New Orleans.
Selections for the concert band, symphonic band and wind symphony were determined during all-state auditions Feb. 4 at Arkansas Tech. Students rated with the best scores were placed in the wind symphony. The next-best scores earned seats in the symphonic band.
Hot Springs World Class High School juniors Josh Martin and Reece Frye made the wind symphony. Martin made first chair on trumpet and Frye made third chair on French horn.
The All-State Wind Symphony is scheduled to perform at 2 p.m. The band's director is David Vandewalker, coordinator of performing arts for Fulton County Schools in Atlanta, Ga.
Three local schools will be represented in the All-State Symphonic Band, directed by Kerry Taylor, director of bands for Westlake High School and Eanes Independent School District in Austin, Texas. The band is scheduled to play at 1 p.m.
Lakeside's Seth DeWalt earned first chair on tuba and Makayla Lovell was selected on flute. Fountain Lake Charter High School's Caylie Hansen was selected on clarinet and Malvern's Austin Voss made the band on tuba.
Lake Hamilton High School selections for the concert band were Trystan Digby, trumpet; Aaron Moody, French horn; Makenna Sisson, clarinet; and Keely Stofer, oboe.
Lakeside students in the concert band include Sarah-Marie Linneman, first chair flute and Victoria Le, clarinet.
Fountain Lake's Brishen Christmas was selected on string bass and Hot Springs World Class High School junior Christian Boekhout is scheduled to perform with the concert band on alto saxophone. Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts junior Tyler Vangsness, from Maumelle, made first chair trumpet in the concert band.
Area alternate selections include Delainey Brown, oboe, Mount Ida High School, and Spencer Hill, tuba, Lake Hamilton.
The All-State Concert Band is scheduled to perform at noon. The band will be directed by Cynthia Lansford, a retired K-12 music instructor in Texas.
Local on 02/18/2017