by Assistant Professor of Music, Sandra Howard

Over 250 high school singers from six schools in the tri-state area gathered at KSC’s Redfern Arts Center for the fourth annual Cantate! High School Choral Festival in late October. The festival began with a large group warm up led by new KSC faculty member Dr. Dan Carberg, Coordinator of Vocal Activities. Professors Diane Cushing and Sandra Howard served as festival clinicians. Collegiate chapters of the NAfME and ACDA joined the Department of Music as co-sponsors this event, which provides performance and clinic experiences to local high school singers.

This year’s Cantate! festival featured choral performances from ConVal Regional High School, led by Krystal Morin; Keene High School, led by Tom Martin; Manchester High School West, led by Susan Wilkes; Murdock High School (Mass.), led by Alyson Galipeau ’10; Mohawk Trail High School (Mass.), led by Scott Halligan; and Bellows Falls Union High School (Vt.), led by Mary Westbrook-Geha.

For the second year in a row, eighth-grade singers, with their director Kathryn Butterfield, recipient of the 2013 NHACDA Choral Director of the Year Award from Keene Middle School, observed and evaluated high school choirs. In addition, KSC’s Brass Ensemble, Concert Choir, and Chamber Singers presented selections, including a world-premiere performance of KSC composition student Josh Brennan’s arrangement of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’”. To end the festival day, community members joined the brass players and singers to sing Gwyneth Walker’s “How Can I Keep from Singing?”

The fifth annual Cantate! High School Choral Festival is scheduled for Friday, October 24, 2014. For more information about registering for next year’s event, contact Dr. Sandra Howard at 603-358-2344.