Becker eighth-grade choir students attended a choir festival last Friday at the Monticello Middle School.  Choirs and choir directors from Monticello, Buffalo, Blaine and Becker participated in the event, and Monticello H.S. Vocal Director Nathan Herfindahl worked with all the choirs throughout the morning as they learned the festival title song, “Festival Sanctus,” which was sung in Latin.

 

In addition, each choir prepared two songs to perform for the other attendees.  BMS Choir Director Kristi Lovold led the Becker students in singing “Reaching for the Stars” and “Rhythm of Life.”  BHS vocal music director Gretchen Bordson was on hand as the accompanist, and was joined by daughter and BMS eighth-grader Sydney Bordson as a second accompanist.  Reaching for the Stars also included Becker students Carter Aaneson, Amber Vogl and Sydney Bordson as soloists.

 

 During each performance, students and directors listened and recorded responses to different questions about various aspects of the musical performance for discussion in class this week. Festival Director Herfindahl provided feedback to each school choir after their performances. 

 

The event finale was a performance by all four choirs of the new song learned earlier that day.  Becker student Alli Kangas said, “It was fun to hear the other groups sing and to receive suggestions from the guest director.” BMS Band Director Shelly Clemen attended the event, and she and Lovold said they were excited to host a similar event in the new BHS Performing Arts Center in the future.