Grand Island Senior High Auditorium was filled Saturday with the sound of nearly 160
fourth through sixth graders as Sing Around Nebraska made a stop in Grand Island.
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Sing Around Nebraska are daylong choir workshops for students held in several locations across the state. The Grand Island site hosted students from Grand Island Public Schools, Northwest Public Schools, Holdrege, Fairfield, Seward, Giltner and Wood River.
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Sing Around Nebraska are daylong choir workshops for students held in several locations across the state. The Grand Island site hosted students from Grand Island Public Schools, Northwest Public Schools, Holdrege, Fairfield, Seward, Giltner and Wood River.
The multi-location event is put on by the Nebraska Choral Directors Association. Throughout
January and February students who are selected by their teachers can participate in
their area鈥檚 Sing Around Nebraska choir.
James Holys, who teaches music at Wasmer and Seedling Mile elementaries, was the 2022 Grand Island site co-chair. Clark Roush, award-winning conductor and director of York College鈥檚 music department, was the guest clinician.
Roush said Sing Across Nebraska is a unique opportunity for students.
鈥淭o get some of them in there for a day like that, it鈥檚 not like they鈥檙e with all of their elementary mates,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey are in a room full of people that love music as much as they do. That doesn鈥檛 often happen in our life, where we could surround ourselves with other people who are equally passionate about something that we really, really care about.鈥�
By the time Sing Around Nebraska choir members get to meet Roush at their rehearsal space, they already know the songs well. 鈥淭he work [music teachers] do to make this happen is just stunning. All I鈥檝e had to do is learn the music and just show up,鈥� Roush said.
This year the songs were 鈥淭he Fox,鈥� 鈥淔irefly,鈥� 鈥淪etting of the Benedictus,鈥� 鈥淚nscription of Hope鈥� and 鈥淟ift Every Voice and Sing.鈥�
Lifting the students鈥� voices is what Sing Around Nebraska is about, Holys said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a great life-changing experience. Really an awesome thing. It鈥檚 a lot of work, but it鈥檚 definitely worth it.鈥�
Roush said the students of Sing Around Nebraska鈥檚 age group are in a formative stage of developing as musicians.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a real positive thing,鈥� Roush said. 鈥淭hat age is about the time where a lot of males are thinking maybe the singing thing really isn鈥檛 for me, or maybe it鈥檚 not manly.鈥�
鈥淎t the end of the day, I鈥檓 absolutely exhausted,鈥� Roush admitted. He has been guest conductor for Sing Around Nebraska before. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just so fulfilling. I鈥檓 so grateful 鈥� so humble 鈥� at the response to the art and how kind the teachers, parents and kids are.鈥�
Following a full day of rehearsal, the students鈥� 鈥� and teachers鈥� 鈥� hard work culminated in a public performance late Saturday afternoon, nearly 160 young voices rising toward the GISH rafters.
written by Jessica Votipka at .
James Holys, who teaches music at Wasmer and Seedling Mile elementaries, was the 2022 Grand Island site co-chair. Clark Roush, award-winning conductor and director of York College鈥檚 music department, was the guest clinician.
Roush said Sing Across Nebraska is a unique opportunity for students.
鈥淭o get some of them in there for a day like that, it鈥檚 not like they鈥檙e with all of their elementary mates,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey are in a room full of people that love music as much as they do. That doesn鈥檛 often happen in our life, where we could surround ourselves with other people who are equally passionate about something that we really, really care about.鈥�
By the time Sing Around Nebraska choir members get to meet Roush at their rehearsal space, they already know the songs well. 鈥淭he work [music teachers] do to make this happen is just stunning. All I鈥檝e had to do is learn the music and just show up,鈥� Roush said.
This year the songs were 鈥淭he Fox,鈥� 鈥淔irefly,鈥� 鈥淪etting of the Benedictus,鈥� 鈥淚nscription of Hope鈥� and 鈥淟ift Every Voice and Sing.鈥�
Lifting the students鈥� voices is what Sing Around Nebraska is about, Holys said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a great life-changing experience. Really an awesome thing. It鈥檚 a lot of work, but it鈥檚 definitely worth it.鈥�
Roush said the students of Sing Around Nebraska鈥檚 age group are in a formative stage of developing as musicians.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a real positive thing,鈥� Roush said. 鈥淭hat age is about the time where a lot of males are thinking maybe the singing thing really isn鈥檛 for me, or maybe it鈥檚 not manly.鈥�
鈥淎t the end of the day, I鈥檓 absolutely exhausted,鈥� Roush admitted. He has been guest conductor for Sing Around Nebraska before. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just so fulfilling. I鈥檓 so grateful 鈥� so humble 鈥� at the response to the art and how kind the teachers, parents and kids are.鈥�
Following a full day of rehearsal, the students鈥� 鈥� and teachers鈥� 鈥� hard work culminated in a public performance late Saturday afternoon, nearly 160 young voices rising toward the GISH rafters.
written by Jessica Votipka at .