ABERDEEN, S.D. – The Northern State University Choirs will offer their spring concert, titled “a Celestial Celebration,” at 7:30 p.m. April 23 in the Johnson Fine Art Center’s Harvey and Cynthia Jewett Theater.
‘A Celestial Celebration’ will feature the NSU Concert Choir, Early Music Ensemble, Chamber Singers and special guests, the Aberdeen Central High School A Cappella under the direction of Susan Appl.
The Concert Choir will open with two gospel inspired pieces including “True Light” by Keith Hampton, featuring soloists Angela Schliech of Mitchell; Brooke Thielbar of Hardwick, Minn.; Amanda McIlravy of Philip; and Grace Gasperich of Aberdeen. The Concert Choir will then perform “Precious Lord, Take My Hand,” by Joyce Merman, arr. by Roy Ringwald.
Aberdeen Central’s A Cappella women will then perform “Nothin' Gonna Stumble My Feet,” arr. by Greg Gilpin and John Parker. The men will then join them for Robert Schumann’s “Zigeunerleben (Gypsy Life)” with Mary Marion playing piano and Frank Ticheli’s “Earth Song.”
The Chamber Singers will perform five speeches from William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” titled “Songs of Ariel,” by Frank Martin.
The Early Music Ensemble will give a preview of their upcoming concert performing the works of Henry Purcell with four pieces including “In These Delightful Pleasant Groves,” “Hear My Prayer,” and two choruses from the third Act of “Dido and Aeneas,” “Destruction’s Our Delight,” and “With Drooping Wings.” Kelly McPhail will assist the ensemble on the harpsichord.
The Chamber Singers will then perform one of the great works of the 20th century, Samuel Barber’s own arrangement of his “Adagio for Strings” titled “Agnus Dei.” A Cappella will then join them for Ēriks Ešenvalds’ “Stars.”
The Concert Choir will close the concert with Randall Thompson’s “Choose Something Like a Star,” accompanied by Sara Kresbach on piano, and “Sure on This Shining Night” by Morten Lauridsen, with Gasperich playing piano.
The concert will conclude with a piece for Concert Choir and A Cappella after recognizing graduating seniors and important contributors to the choral program.
Admission is $5 for adults, $2.50 for NSU faculty/staff, and free for school-aged children or NSU students with ID. To purchase tickets, click here.
Performers are listed by vocal part below:
Sopranos
Balie Albrecht, Rapid City
Taylor Brekke, Mobridge* #
Kylee Carlson, Aberdeen
Naomi Davis, Watertown
Tierra Decker, Huron* @
Annabelle Eastman, Aberdeen#
Shelby Glover, Sioux Falls
Mariah Graff, Madison
Jiwon Hong, Busan, South Korea
Jini Hong, Seoul, South Korea
McKinley Hoselton, Richardton, N.D.
Camila Shinoka de Sousa Hyke, Utsunomiya, Japan
Sojeong Kim, Busan, South Korea
Kori Kerwin, Chamberlain* #
Sara Krebsbach, Rockford, Minn.@
Jiye Lee, Geoje Island, South Korea
Kyra Liebig, Yankton
Kaitlynn Loos, Rapid City#
Amanda McIlravy, Philip* #
Morgan Mewes, Jamestown, N.D.
Christine Powers, Hot Springs*
Brittany Quinn, Timber Lake
Sierra Reed, Rock Rapids, Iowa
Gillian Roda, Buffalo Gap
Angie Schleich, Mitchell
Joanna Schleich, Mitchell* #
Elsa Swanson, Chaska, Minn.*
Rosemary Vega, Chaska, Minn.* #
Mary Elizabeth Wachs, Aberdeen
Livia Wallace, Pipestone, Minn.
Kayla Sproles, Sioux Falls
Morgan Wilson, Rapid City#
Annie Woodmansey, Pierre*
Altos
Qi An, Gansu, China
Tayzia Claymore-Knight, Eagle Butte
Kaycee Cronin, Ft. Pierre
Lindsey Friedrichsen, Huron* #
Anika Fredrick, Buffalo, Minn.
Grace Gasperich, Aberdeen* @
Chelsie Gehrke, Clark
Marissa Hanley, Chester
Justice Haggin, Sioux Falls
Seyean Kim, Seoul, South Korea
Kyndra Kranz, Watertown*
Kristina Kuzmina, Chernivtsi, Ukraine
Emily Meidinger, Mt. Vernon
Katie Olson, Aberdeen
Tabitha Schmidt, Huron* #
Rachel Smith, Huron*
Brooke Thielbar, Hardwick, Minn.* #
Sara Van Regenmorter
Brigette Weisenburger, Aberdeen@
Joni Willoughby, Midland* #
Grace Woodstead, Cooperstown, N.D.*
Jennem Woolever, Grand Forks, N.D.
Tenors
Louis Burley, Pierre
Patrick Calvillo, Walhalla, N.D.* #
Grant Duvall, Huron* #
Adam Henning, Watertown* #
Harrison Homelvig, Bowman, N.D.*
Trey Litwiller, Huron* #
Patrick Minihan, Canton
Dylan Rausch, Yankton* #
Dustin Schmidt, Huron
Isaac Seaton, Aberdeen*
Tanner Shabot-Shultis, Aberdeen*
Tyler Smith, Tea*
Basses
Chris Allen, Rapid City
Brandon Barrett, Britton* #
Tyler Beck, Leola*
Dylan Bennett, Pierre
Eric Bishop, Rapid City
Kevin Boring, Pierre*
MacKinley Bruemmer, LaCrosse, Wis.* #
John Cassens, Faulkton*
Bowen Feng, Zhengzhou, China
Scott Glodt, Hoven* #
Brady Hamer, Kennebec
Tyler Harris, Rapid City
Alexander Kern, Groton
Wonjoon Kim, Dae Jeon, South Korea
Michael Lytle, Rapid City* #
Zach Martinmaas, Aberdeen*
Eduardo Mendoza, Canabamba, Bolivia
Austin Metzen, Wahpeton, N.D.
Cordell Ring, Onida
Salvatore Scavo, Hightstown, N.J.*
Alex Walter, Aberdeen
Member of Chamber Singers
# member of the Early Music Ensemble
@ accompanist
About Northern State University
Northern State University is a regional university that offers outstanding academics and exceptional extracurricular activities at an affordable price on a safe, welcoming campus. Northern State recently announced its Educational Impact Campaign, with a goal of raising $45 million for a new South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, new athletic and recreation fields, and an on-campus regional sports complex. Once the campaign is complete, NSU will be the recipient of more than $100 million in privately funded building projects and scholarships within a decade. To learn more, visit NSU Admissions.