RAPID CITY — This weekend, the top high school musicians from across the state will gather in Rapid City, for the 71st performance of the South Dakota All-State Chorus and Orchestra performance, being held at The Monument.

The grand concert begins at 8 p.m. Central Time, on Saturday, Oct. 28, and will culminate two days of rehearsal for this year’s chorus and orchestra participants.

The concert will be broadcast live by South Dakota Public Television.

Several Heartland area schools will be sending vocalists to this year’s event and Huron will have a participant in the orchestra.

De Smet’s All-State Chorus representatives are, from left: Ava Poppinga (soprano), Sophia Gigov (alto), Sam Gigov (tenor) and bass Payton Botkin

This year’s chorus director is Ryan Person, an assistant professor of music at Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa. For the choral program, Person has selected a varied selection.

Leading off is “Splendor” from Illuminare by Elaine Hagenberg, followed by an a cappella rendition of “O Salutaris Hostia” by Pierre de la Rue.

Here is the quartet from Highmore-Harrold. From the left are: Destiny McCauley (soprano), Maxwell Gibson (tenor), Jordan Erfman (bass), and Korin Fawcett (alto).

The chorus will present Katerina Gimon’s “Fire” and “Moonlight and Rain” by Kevin Memly, before closing with “Papa Loko” by Sten Källman.

At Morningside, Person’s choirs have been recognized and honored for their performance excellence since his arrival in 2018. Person conducts the fifty-member Morningside Choir, which is celebrated across the region for its exceptional choral artistry and programming. The choir tours to continental and international locations each year, including upcoming travel to Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic in 2022. In addition to the Morningside Choir, Person directs the university’s popular tenor/bass chorus, Camerata, and teaches courses in conducting and choral methods.

Iroquois is representd by, from left: Soprano- Rebecca Bich, Bass- Dilyn McDermott, Alto- Rosalie Wehlander and Tenor- Andrew Gednalske.

As an experienced conductor and educator, Person has accepted numerous professional invitations throughout the Midwest and Texas. His choirs have been invited to perform at the North Central American Choral Directors Association Conference and the Iowa Choral Directors Association Showcase, and he has presented at the National Collegiate Choral Organization Conference with mentor Richard Bjella. Person has been a popular guest conductor and choral clinician throughout his career, and he will make his conducting debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City in 2023.

James Valley Christian students attending All-State Chorus are, from left:  soprano -Natalie Hamilton, bass- Jonathan Koel, alto - Elaina Hohm, tenor- Dax Frandsen.

Studying with many of the profession’s finest conductors, Person earned a doctor of musical arts degree in choral conducting from Texas Tech University, master of music degree in choral conducting from Michigan State University, and bachelor of arts degree from Luther College.

Dr. Mark Laycock will lead the S.D. All-State Orchestra. He is a professor of music at Wichita State Unversity. His work as guest conductor, clinician, or adjudicator spans 34 states.

Miller High School All-State Chorus members are: Laura Evans (soprano), Emma Pugh (alto), Isaiah Gortmaker (tenor), Ben Wangsness (bass).

Recent and upcoming appearances include the Bangkok International String Festival, the all-state orchestras of Florida, Nevada, Washington, and Wyoming, educational sessions at the Conn-Selmer Institute and The Ohio State University String Teacher Workshop, and adjudication in Arizona, California, Colorado, Indiana, and Oregon. Dr. Laycock served the National Orchestra Festival as adjudicator, clinician, and, in 2018 and 2019, chair of the event.

His appearances with professional ensembles include the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Wichita Grand Opera, and Opera Kansas, as well as orchestras in Slovakia and Canada.

Redfield’s quartet for All-State Chorus are: Soprano, Adrianna Willett; Alto, Amelia Sjurseth; Tenor, Amiya White; Bass, Zacree Schley.

Dr. Laycock has presented clinic sessions for numerous state education conferences, as well as the American String Teachers Association National Conference, the Northwest and Northeast Division Conventions of the National Association for Music Education, and the Midwest Clinic. In May 2016, he gave professional development sessions for instrumental music educators in Brisbane, Australia, returning that September to conduct the Sir Charles Mackerras String Orchestra of the Queensland State Honours Ensemble Program. He was a Keynote Presenter for the Australian Strings Association 2018 National Conference in Perth.

Dr. Laycock is a four-time invited music education panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, evaluating grant applications from institutions throughout the country. He is a chapter author for the fourth edition of Teaching Music through Performance in Orchestra. Dr. Laycock is a member of the Board of Directors of the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic; he serves as Chair of Orchestra Activities. He is conductor of the Wichita Youth Symphony and Director of the Wichita Youth Orchestras Program.

Sunshine Bible Academy will send Addison Pearl (alto), Anastasia Mitchell (soprano), Owan Watson (tenor), and Jimmy Burma (bass) to this year’s All-State Chorus.

The orchestra will perform the well-known “Overture to The Cowboys” by John Williams, followed by Ingrid Stolzl’s “Into the Blue. The orchestra portion of the program will conclude with “The Planets: Movement 1 - Mars, the Bringer of Wars; and Movement 4 - Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity” by Gustav Holst.

The chorus and orchestra will combine to open the concert with the Star Spangled Banner, then will close the concert with “Examine Me” by Cedrick Dent and “Cindy” by Mack Wilberg.

Huron High School All-State Orchestra members are, from left: Tess Vlieger, cello; Galilea Garcia, viola and Karly Knippling, viola