MHS Students to Perform in 71st All-State Chorus and Orchestra

Two Milbank High School mixed vocal quartets and two Milbank instrumentalists will join nearly 1000 voices and a full symphony orchestra during the 71^st Annual South Dakota All-State Chorus and Orchestra on October 27-28.

Milbank students include : First row– Amelia Peterson (tenor alternate), Hope Karels (alto), Rachel Schulte (violin), Nadia Thue (soprano), Ashlynn Batchelor (soprano alternate), and Veronica Fonder (soprano).  Second row– Stella Wendland (alto), Sam Shelstad (tenor), James Batchelor (bass), Joe Schulte (violin), Bryan Meyer (bass), Graham Lightfield (bass alternate), and Olivia Wendland (alto alternate). Nick Fonder (tenor) is not pictured.

The Summit Arena-The Monument in Rapid City will serve as the rehearsal and performance venue for the Grand Concert, which will be broadcast live Saturday, October 28, at 7 p.m. MT on South Dakota Public Television.  

The student musicians will be under the direction of Ryan Person, of Morningside University, Iowa, and Dr. Mark Laycock of Wichita State University in Kansas. The orchestra concert selections include “Overture to the Cowboys,” “Into the Blue,” and “The Planets: Mvt. 1-Mars and Mtv. 4-Jupiter.”  The combined orchestra and chorus selections are “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “Examine Me,” and “Cindy.” The vocal selections include: “Splendor” from Illuminare, “Moonlight and Rain,” and  “Papa Loko.”  “Fire,” and “O Salutaris Hostia” will also be featured.

Elizabeth Schulte, a private music instructor in Milbank, prepared the MHS string students for the event. Miriam Schwenn serves as the MHS vocal music director.