Saturday February 4 was a very special day for our family. It was a birthday-day for our youngest granddaughter who turned 17. She joins other grandaughters born within 5 months of each other in 1994-95 who are the best of friends as well as cousins.
It was also a day of sweet, mellow voices of hundreds of North Dakota junior and senior high choral students.
A special weekend of singing and learning from eminent choral conductors took place at the NDSY campus for these teenage singers from all over the state of ND. It was organized by music teachers all over the state and the official organization is the NDACDA,,,the definition of which I do not have. I only know it has to be a great group to have brought so many high school singers together for a weekend on the NDSU campus.
The students formed 3 honor choirs: A Treble Choir made up of junior high girl students and when I wrote the words “sweet voices” it described the girl’s honor treble choir. Their sweet voices filled the space in Festival Hall’s main concert hall. They were first on the concert program and not far into their first song, I knew I was in the right place!
Years ago I was a choir singer in more than one choral group over a long period of years…junior and senior high school, a college concert choir and later various adult choirs . The human voice is the most elegant musical instrument of all.
The Mixed Honor choir had junior high students…male and female and what I will remember about that group is the richness of the young mens’ voices..amazingly mature for thier ages. All the honor choirs were large…some over 100 singers. Sweet, mellow voices raised in songs that were so incredibly performed and wonderfully sung. It did this Old Choir Girl’s soul so much good!!!
Our youngest granddaughter..the Birthday Girl…sang in the Womens’ Honor Choir of over 100 voices. It was another ethereal experience of hearing the sweetness of the young voices expressing lovely music.
All the honor choirs had guest conductors from other places…..Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, Bismarck ND and a college conductor from Illinois.
Their conducting and teaching must have been a once in a lifetime experience for the young singers from all over North Dakota.
It was a great reminder of the importance of public and private schools staying focused on the Arts such as choral singing, concert bands and orcestras, and drama opportunities. In a day and age that glorifies high school sports over and above everything, the concert at NDSU yesterday confirmed the worthiness of the Arts in ND schools.
After the concert was done, our family proceeded to celebrate the birthday with cousins and uncles and aunts and one set of grandparents (us)
We all ate Papa John’s pizzas and DQ ice cream cake to our hearts’ content.
Yesterday we sweet and mellow in two ways: the sweetness and mellowness of young choral singers and then the sweetness of family love and fellowship.
It was a great day all around.
