MSU choir to perform with invited area high schools Thursday
by Elena Shufelt
Issue date: 11/5/09
Section: Local News
Minnesota State's Concert Choir and Chamber Singers will perform with invited high school choirs at the Choral Invitational Concert Thursday.
The full choirs of Mankato East and Blue Earth Area Schools have been invited, along with small groups from St. Clair, Litchfield, Maple River, New Ulm and Waterville-Elysian-Morristown.
David Dickau has been conducting the Concert Choir since he started at MSU in 1991. He has also been conducting the Chamber Singers for about 10 years.
Dickau said about 275-300 singers will be at the event.
"It's pretty exciting when you have all those people in one room making music together," Dickau said.
MSU will perform a Haitian piece full of complex rhythms and percussion, along with a number of Renaissance pieces.Â
"There's a lot of energy and a real variety of music," Dickau said.
At the end of the performance, all of the choirs will combine to sing three songs together.
Mankato East Choir Director Robin Hughes said hearing and singing with a mass choir is a rewarding experience.
"It's exciting to sing with a college choir," she said.
This is one of Mankato East's first performances, so Hughes said it's setting the tone for the rest of their year together.
"It really gets our program ready for a performance earlier than it normally would," she said.
Blue Earth Area Schools Choir Director Mike Ellingsen said, "I really enjoy the opportunity for the Blue Earth Area choir students to sing under the direction of Dr. Dickau. He really has it all together-how to sing and how to really make music."
Blue Earth has participated in this concert twice before, but Ellingsen said the experience changes with different members.
The Choral Invitational Concert has been an event at MSU for 10 years. Different surrounding schools are selected to participate every year.
Dickau said, "The kids usually come away from it pretty inspired by a day of making some really great music."
This year, the MSU Concert Choir has been selected to sing at the Minnesota Collegiate Choral Festival. This is the first year for the festival, and MSU is one of five choirs selected to participate. The festival is Nov. 14 at Bethel University in St. Paul.
"It's quite an honor. It's pretty competitive," Dickau said.
The Concert Choir will sing the same program Thursday as they will at the festival.
The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at Saints Peter and Paul's Catholic Church, 105 North Fifth St. Tickets cost $6 for MSU students with a valid MavCard, K-12 students and children. General admission is $9.Â
Elena Shufelt is a Reporter staff writer
The full choirs of Mankato East and Blue Earth Area Schools have been invited, along with small groups from St. Clair, Litchfield, Maple River, New Ulm and Waterville-Elysian-Morristown.
David Dickau has been conducting the Concert Choir since he started at MSU in 1991. He has also been conducting the Chamber Singers for about 10 years.
Dickau said about 275-300 singers will be at the event.
"It's pretty exciting when you have all those people in one room making music together," Dickau said.
MSU will perform a Haitian piece full of complex rhythms and percussion, along with a number of Renaissance pieces.Â
"There's a lot of energy and a real variety of music," Dickau said.
At the end of the performance, all of the choirs will combine to sing three songs together.
Mankato East Choir Director Robin Hughes said hearing and singing with a mass choir is a rewarding experience.
"It's exciting to sing with a college choir," she said.
This is one of Mankato East's first performances, so Hughes said it's setting the tone for the rest of their year together.
"It really gets our program ready for a performance earlier than it normally would," she said.
Blue Earth Area Schools Choir Director Mike Ellingsen said, "I really enjoy the opportunity for the Blue Earth Area choir students to sing under the direction of Dr. Dickau. He really has it all together-how to sing and how to really make music."
Blue Earth has participated in this concert twice before, but Ellingsen said the experience changes with different members.
The Choral Invitational Concert has been an event at MSU for 10 years. Different surrounding schools are selected to participate every year.
Dickau said, "The kids usually come away from it pretty inspired by a day of making some really great music."
This year, the MSU Concert Choir has been selected to sing at the Minnesota Collegiate Choral Festival. This is the first year for the festival, and MSU is one of five choirs selected to participate. The festival is Nov. 14 at Bethel University in St. Paul.
"It's quite an honor. It's pretty competitive," Dickau said.
The Concert Choir will sing the same program Thursday as they will at the festival.
The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at Saints Peter and Paul's Catholic Church, 105 North Fifth St. Tickets cost $6 for MSU students with a valid MavCard, K-12 students and children. General admission is $9.Â
Elena Shufelt is a Reporter staff writer
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