ALL-STATE ORCHESTRA WORKSHOP
FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
PREPARING FOR SOUTH DAKOTA ALL-STATE ORCHESTRA AUDITIONS
All high school students are welcome to attend the All-State Orchestra Workshop and learn from Aberdeen University-Civic Symphony members and Northern faculty!
- Dr. Christopher Stanichar, assistant professor of music and AUCS director, will conduct the All-State Orchestra literature in a side-by-side reading with students and AUCS musicians
- Dr. Stanichar will give hints about tempos and interpretations of the music
- Students will work on the same literature required for All-State Orchestra auditions
- Northern faculty and AUCS members will offer a question-and-answer panel and providing tips for a successful audition
Register at the door the night of the workshop. For more information, contact Dr. Stanichar.
Improve Your Audition!
September 24, 2024
Johnson Fine Arts Center
CHORAL LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP
September 25, 2024
The Northern State University Choral Leadership Workshop is designed to help vocal music instructors and high school singers prepare music for South Dakota All-State Chorus. Students need not be members of All-State Chorus to participate. Experienced conductors will also present healthy vocal techniques and helpful tips about the music.
For information, please contact Dr. Timothy Woods.
NSU Band Clinic
November 6, 2024
The NSU Band Clinic is the longest-running band festival in South Dakota, and takes place in the beautiful Johnson Fine Arts Center. The festival consists of two student bands that are equal in size and balance, and includes workshops for students and directors.
The instrumentation of the bands is based on director nomination and EVERY student nominated will be chosen to participate. The nomination deadline will be announced. Late nominees may be accepted but are not guaranteed to be listed in the program.
The clinic runs from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., with check-in from 8-9 a.m. The final concert is at 3 p.m. in the Jewett Theater of the Johnson Fine Arts Center. Lunch is on your own, although students are welcome to eat on campus in the Wolves Den.
For more information contact: audrey.miller@northern.edu.
Friends of the Arts/NSU Young Artist Competition
Annual South Dakota Jazz Festival
March 6, 2025
Start your jazz festival season at Northern! The South Dakota Jazz Festival will be held in Johnson Fine Arts Center at Northern State University. Vocal jazz, combos, and big bands are welcome to participate in competitive and non-competitive categories to best serve musicians and music educators.
Ensembles eligible to perform at the festival
- Big Band: A minimum of nine instrumental musicians performing with the traditional big band part assignments
- Jazz Combo: A maximum of eight musicians - usually with at least a bass, drums, and piano or guitar. Including instrumentalists or solo singers is very common.
- Vocal Jazz Ensemble/Swing Choir: A vocal ensemble that performs jazz with a minimum of dancing. (No show choirs, please)
- Details and Rules
Contacts
Dr. Grant Manhart, grant.manhart@northern.edu, 605-626-2982
Arts Education Institute
July 14-17, 2025
NSU Campus
The annual Arts Education Institute (AEI) offers professional development in the arts for South Dakota teachers and pre-K-12 administrators. However, you don't have to be an educator to attend AEI - everyone is welcome to enjoy this fun-filled week of learning featuring:
- Ways to infuse the arts into classrooms
- Curriculum development
- Art, choral and music workshops
AEI is offered for up to three graduate, undergraduate or recertification credits (optional). For more information, contact Ms. Shari Kosel of Arts South Dakota or NSU's Ms. Nadya Preszler, or visit Arts South Dakota.
NSU Voice Camp
July 16-19, 2025
The NSU Voice Camp is the ideal camp for young singers in grades 7-12 who love to sing and want to learn more about their voice and the world of the singer-actor in a supportive atmosphere.
Classes
A typical day includes:
- Vocal warmups
- Health and care of your voice
- Stage deportment
- Song interpretation
- Diction for singers
- Acting
- Jazz
- Movement
- Small-group ensembles and choir
- Solo literature
- Musical and vocal technique
- Recreational and social activities
Lessons
Each student will have one voice lesson. Lessons will focus on posture, breathing, breath support, healthy production and projection of the voice.
Students are asked to bring one prepared song - a classical art song, age-appropriate aria, folk song or musical theatre selection - to camp, which will be worked on in lessons and classes. It is helpful if the song is memorized, or close to memorized. If you do not have a song to bring to camp, one will be assigned to you to work on during lessons.
For more information, contact Dr. Darci Bultema, Voice Camp director and professor of music, voice and opera; or call 605-626-2497.
Rushmore National Music Camp: Junior High Week
July 27-August 1, 2025
Johnson Fine Arts Center
NSU Campus
Band students entering grades 6-9 are welcome to attend the Rushmore National Junior High Music Camp on Northern's campus in Aberdeen. Guided by camp counselors, students stay in Northern dorms and enjoy meals in our dining hall, the Wolves' Den. The week's final concert is free and open to the public.
The camp offers many performance opportunities and individual lessons from music educators and professionals, as well as daily recreational activities. For details, visit Rushmore Music Camp.