RAPID CITY — Several hundred of the most musically talented young high school men and women will congregate at the newly christened Monument Center’s Summit Arena this Saturday, as South Dakota All-State Chorus and Orchestra returns after being cancelled last fall due to the COVID pandemic. The concert is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Mountain time.
High schools across the state are able to send anywhere from one to five mixed quartets, depending upon enrollment, to participate in All-State Chorus, through try-outs at each school, while All-State Orchestra participants are chosen through a statewide try-out process.
Heartland area schools all have one quartet attending, with the exception of Redfield, which has two quartets and Huron, which is allowed four quartets.
The choral selections for this year’s Saturday night concert include “Hope,” by Ysaye Barnwell; “O Vos Homnes,” by Pablo Casals; “Masembeni,” by Oliver Tambo and Bongani Magatyana; “I am Alive,” by Greg Jasperse and “Believe in Love” by Mitchell Owens III.
The guest choral director for the concert is Mark Myers, a national recognized conductor and music educator, who is the Associate Artistic Director and co-conductor of the Voice of Chicago and leads the Austin Neighborhood Choir.
Orchestra selections include “Marche Slave,” by Pyotr Tchaikovsky; “The Bamboula Rhapsodic Dance for Orchestra,” by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and “Berceuse and Finale from ‘The Firebird,’” by Igor Travinsky.
The orchestra is under the baton of Dr. Kevin F.E. Sütterlin,an internationally sought-after conductor and pedagogue. A dedicated 21st century musician, Sütterlin is Director of Orchestral Activities and Opera and professor of Instrumental Conducting at Concordia College, and is music director and conductor of the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra, one of Wisconsin’s finest professional symphonies, as well as Principal Guest Conductor of the Qingdao Concert Hall Symphony Orchestra in China.
The chorus and orchestra will combine under Myers’ direction for the concert opening “Star Spangled Banner” and will close the concert with “How can you Buy the Sky?” by Rene Clausen and “I hear America Singing,” by Andre Thomas.
Reserved seats are $20, general admission tickets are $15 and student general admission tickets are $10.
Ticket prices are subject to taxes and facility fees. Visit the Monument website (www.themonument.live), via telephone at 1-800-468-6463 or at The Monument box office prior to the concert.
The concert will be broadcast live on South Dakota Public Television.
