MEEKER I The Meeker High School Band and Choir participated in the Large Group Music Festival at Battle Mountain High School near Edwards, Colorado last week, where they earned some major honors.
Jeff Hemingson, the MHS director of instrumental and choral music, reported that the band received a II for its performance and garnered top honors for sight reading with a score of 1.
The band’s overall composite score was II for their performances of “Whiplash,” “With Every Winter’s Breath” and “Variations on a Scottish Folksong.”
The MHS choir performed “O Magnum Mysterium” by Ivo Antognini, “Java Jive” and “Witness,” and received a score of II for performance and a II for sight reading with a composite score of II. This is the first time in many years the MHS choir has participated in the Large Group Music Festival.
Following the choir performance, three of the judges participated in the post performance clinic.
Martin Dickson III, the post performance clinic judge, was also Hemingson’s high school choir director. Todd Di Camillo judged the sight-reading performance of the choir. Sight reading requires the choir to sight read and perform an unfamiliar work for the first time.
Mont Atkinson joined the choir as an accompanist following the main performance during the post performance clinic. Atkinson and DiCamillo also attended Western State Colorado University, where Hemingson was graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music education.
Hemingson reported that approximately 20 choirs participated as well as 20 instrumental groups.
To enjoy some of the extraordinary choir and instrumental pieces performed at the festival, including “Witness,” performed by the MHS choir, be sure to attend the Meeker High School and Barone Middle School Spring Choir and Band Concerts on May 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the Meeker High School Auditorium.
