NCDA Festival & Honor Choirs

NCDA is proud to host multiple events each year to provide our members with the opportunity to engage their singers in educational and meaningful experiences with like-minded musicians and expert leadership.

Singing Youth of Nebraska

Honor Choir Year  •  7-9th Graders
January 27, 2024

Kearney High School Auditorium

(NO Audition Fee, $75 Participation Fee for Accepted Students)
Registrations are non-refundable

FEE INCLUDES: 

National Clinician, Sheet Music, Rehearsal Tracks, Pianist, T-shirt, Snacks, Great Facilities

 

Contact Victoria Glandon with questions: vicglandon@kearneycats.com

SYN Honor Choir Repertoire

Bringers of Noise, Kyle Pederson – SAB
Sound the Trumpet, Henry Purcell – Three Part Mixed or SAB
In Time of Silver Rain, Sarah Quartel – SAB
I Would Be True, Undine Smith Moore – SA(T)B)
Ad Astra, Jacob Narverud – SATB


Students are expected to have their music, a pencil, and a folder on the day of the festival.

NOTE: Students are expected to have their music LEARNED when they arrive. Please rehearse with your students to ensure that notes, rhythms, form, and lyrics are well in-hand prior to arrival.

Tickets

CLICK HERE

SYN Honor Choir

Audition Procedure

  1. The singer or director should NOT say anything to introduce the singer, including song title, singer’s
    name, school or grade, etc.
  2. The recording should NOT include any type of filter or effect.
  3. The singer will sing “My Country ‘tis of Thee” unaccompanied.
    • Please make sure there is no accompaniment or additional singing with the student.
    • The piano may give the starting pitch:
      • Soprano: F above middle C
      • Alto: D above middle C
      • Tenor: F below middle C
      • Baritone: Bb below bass clef C
  4. The singer will sing one verse of an accompanied folk song/hymn tune of their choosing.
    • No pop or musical theatre selections please

Audition Deadline – October 13, 2023

AUDITION SUBMISSION LINK

2023-24 SYN Honor Choir

January 27, 2024

Dr. Merrin Guice-Gill, Clinician

Dr. Merrin Guice Gill is the Director of Choral Activities at Bethel University. Dr. Guice Gill directs the Bethel Choir and Festival Choir. She also teaches private voice. Dr. Guice Gill has previously taught on the campuses of Buena Vista University, The University of Wisconsin, and Miami University Ohio, Hamilton Campus. Her choral work has led her to conduct throughout the United States as well as in Canada and Europe. She was selected as one of ten International Conductors to participate in the Sarteano, Italy Choral Conducting Workshop with Simon Carrington and Brian O’Connell where she directed a choir of professionals. Along with choral work Dr. Guice Gill has significant experience conducting orchestras. She was the assistant conductor for the Agnes Scott Community Orchestra in Georgia, worked as a conductor with the Stoughton Opera Company in Wisconsin, and was awarded a young artist award for Conducting by the Madison Symphony Orchestra, which she subsequently led in performance.

Dr. Guice Gill’s ensembles are given a vast array of valuable experiences. Her university choirs have toured throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. They have worked with composers Morten Lauridsen and Stacey Gibbs at College Honor Choir presentations. She has led her choirs in receiving National and International awards and recognitions, including: first and second place prizes in the “Riva Del Garda International Choral Competition”, Silver Medal at the “World Choir Games” and as finalists in the “American Prize for Choral Performance”. Dr. Guice Gill has conducted at the Liechtenstein Palace in Prague, various venues in Italy, The Arnoff Center in Cincinnati, and her choir has performed under. Guice Gill’s direction at Carnegie Hall in New York. She is a frequent guest clinician at high schools and colleges for both voice and choral studies.

Sing Around Nebraska

Festival Choirs • Grades 4-6

Sing Around Nebraska Festivals
January-February 2024

Saturday January 20, 2024
Ainsworth High School
Site Coordinator: Kayla Nilson
knilson@ainsworthschools.org

Saturday January 20, 2024
Otte Middle School (Blair)
Site Coordinator: Jennifer Grenier
jennifer.grenier@blairschools.org

Saturday January 20, 2024
Fremont High School
Site Coordinator: Mark Harman
Mark.Harman@fpsmail.org

Saturday January 20, 2024
North Platte High School
Site Coordinator: Janette Kammerer
jkammerer@nppsd.org

Saturday, January 27, 2024
Central City High School
Site Coordinator: Micah Hesterman
mhesterman@centralcityps.org

Saturday February 3, 2024
Alliance High School
Site Coordinator: Sara Behrends
sara.behrends@alliancebulldogs.org

Saturday February 3, 2024
Hastings High School
Site Coordinator: Lacey Franzen
lacey.franzen@hpstigers.org

Saturday February 10, 2024
Kearney High School
Site Coordinator: Victoria Glandon
vicglandon@kearneycats.com

Saturday February 10, 2024
Scottsbluff High School
Site Coordinator: Brad Ronne
bronne@sbps.net

Festival Description

The Sing Around Nebraska  festival choirs are for students currently in grades 4, 5 and 6. This is a non-audition year, so no audition audio files need to be submitted.

At each site, students will work with a clinician all day and have a concert at 4:00 p.m. Each site around the state will have a different clinician, but will be singing the same repertoire. (See the list below for details).

Registration is $50 per student and is non-refundable. You will receive an invoice with payment-by-check instructions when we receive your completed registration. This price includes a t-shirt and snacks. Music needs to be purchased by the school/attendee for festival years.

Lunch is not included.

Tickets to the concert are $5.00 each (not including online processing) for attendees ages 6+ and are available via www.Eventbrite.com.

Please fill out the google form for each student individually. If you have any questions contact Janette Kammerer at jkammerer@nppsd.org for more information! Sites are listed below. We thank you for singing with us!

REPERTOIRE

Carry the Light Andy Beck – 2-part – Alfred
Gatatumba – arr. Ruth Morris Gray – 2-part – Alfred
Sarasponda – arr. Ruth Boshkoff – Santa Barbara
Circle Round the Moon – Mark Hierholzer – Plymouth Music Co.
Why We Sing  – Greg Gilpin – 2-part – Shawnee Press

Show Choir Festivals
2024

Show Choir Festivals Requirements

Registration is open to schools of all sizes, and directors do not have to be ACDA members to have their ensembles participate. Middle school and high school choirs are encouraged to participate.

Registration is on a first come, first served basis, and registrations are only complete when both your form and entry fee are posted to Opus Event.

  • Registration Opens July 10, 2023
  • Registration Deadline is December 21, 2023

ENTRY FEE (per ensemble)
NOTE: Registrations are non-refundable

High School – $195
Middle School – $165

SITES

Friday, February 2, 2024 – Central City High School, Central City
Monday, February 12, 2024 – Chase County High School, Imperial
Monday, February 19, 2024 – Skutt Catholic High School, Omaha

Contact Chris Storm for more information.

Show Choir Festivals Description

NCDA-sponsored Show Choir Festivals are a great way for your ensemble to gain competition and performance experience in a festival setting. We offer three locations around the state to engage with as many ensembles as possible.

Register your middle school or high school show choir to have a performance opportunity that is focused on educational and artistic growth instead of on awards placement. Each show choir will perform and then have a live critique immediately following their set. This  immediate feedback provides real-time opportunities for affirmation and improvement. We hope you will join us!

Church Choir Festival

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Church Choir Festival Repertoire

City Called Heaven – Josephine Poelinitz

Khumbaya – arr. Bok and Runestad

A Mighty Fortress is Our God- arr. Dan Forrest

O Love – Elaine Hagenberg

Set Me as a Seal – René Clausen

I’ll Be On My Way – Shawn Kirchner

Link to Purchase Sheet Music

NOTE: The final title must be purchased separately from the composer’s website HERE

Church Choir Festival

Clinician: Dr. Kurt Runestad

Location: St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church, 510 N. 93rd St., Omaha

Itinerary:
8:30-9:30AM – Arrive/Check-in
9:30-3:30 – Clinic with Dr. Runestad
4:30 – Concert

Cost: $25 per person. NOTE: Sheet music costs are up to each church. NOTE: Registrations are non-refundable

Meals: Pre-packaged snacks and water will be provided throughout the day. Lunch will be provided by St. Thomas for a free-will donation. Festival will be finished by dinner time.

Preparation: All singers are expected to purchase the music in advance and learn it prior to the massed rehearsal with Dr. Runestad on April 27.

Nebraska Choral Directors Association (NCDA)