Junior/Senior High Bands, Choirs give introduction to the season’s music
The first concert of three Monday evening Holidiay Concerts, presented by the Mountain Lake Public School (MLPS) Music Department, was held Monday, December 7, in the school’s auditorium. This program featured the Junior High and Senior High Bands and Choirs, and included a variety of new classics and old favorites.
The MLPS Music Department is composed of Director of Bands Kurt Jahnke (Grades 5-12), Director of Choirs Andrea Brinkman (Grades 6-12) and Elementary Music Instructor Marilyn Fast (Grades Kindergarten-5).
Continuing holiday concert performances
+ The next concert, to be held on Monday, December 14, beginning at 6:45 p.m., also in the MLPS auditorium, will showcase each Elementary class, as well as the Fifth- and Sixth-Grade Bands.
+ The final holiday concert, to be held on Monday, December 21, at 7 p.m., will be held at the Mountain Lake Alliance Church, located at 809 5th Avenue. It will include a collage of the High School Music Department’s small groups. The Junior High and Senior High Show Choirs, Junior High and Senior High Jazz Bands and Junior High and Senior High Percussion Ensembles will all perform, as well as select soloists and small groups in a coffeehouse atmosphere. Dessert and beverage will also be available. A free-will donation will be accepted in support of upcoming travel plans for the Senior High groups.
Each concert is free and open to the public.
Celebrate the season with instrumental and vocal music from Mountain Lake Public Schools.
Below is a photo gallery from this past Monday evening’s concert:
JUNIOR HIGH CHOIR percussionists for the group’s opening number, ‘Morokeni” (“Greeting Song”), arranged by Bernard Kruger, are, from left, Joel Salgado, Bileigh Anacker and Emilee Xayanourom. The Kwangali and Sotho South African translation of the lyrics is: “Hello, friend! We are coming from Durban. Hello, everybody!”
JUNIOR HIGH CHOIR sopranos sing out on Ola Gjeilo’s “Seasons.” Front, Jasmin Capetillo. Middle, from left, Baylee Jepsen, Carly Menken and Anika Fast. Back, Anika Klassen, left and Destiny Sybounheuan, right.
SOME OF THE male voices who comprise the Junior High Choir. Front, from left, Juan Lucio, Noah Curry, Noah Rempel and Ethan Nickel. Back, from left, Alejandro Hernandez, Mace Herrig and Spencer Khamvongsa.
ALTOS, FROM LEFT, Carly Osland, Destiny Phetsomphou and Christina Hofmann. The polo shirts worn by the Junior High Choir and Junior High Band are new this year. They were made possible by donations from the Freedom Riders Motorcycle Club and the Mountain Lake Wolverine Boosters.
MOVIN’ TO THE Gospel song “All Night, All Day,” arranged by Greg Gilpin. At the piano keyboard is MLPS Director of Choirs (Grades 6-12) Andrea Brinkman. Front, from left, Juan Lucio, Noah Curry, Noah Rempel, Ethan Nickel, Deliela Nunthavong, Carly Osland, Destiny Phetsomphou and Christina Hofmann. Second row, from left, Alejandro Hernandez, Mace Herrig, Spencer Khamvongsa, Sabrina Hanson, Sophie Carrison, Megan McCue and Janessa Johnson. Third row, from left, Paton Buller, Hunter Peterson, Joel Salgado, Irene Lucio, Bileigh Anacker, Delainey Janzen and Kiana Peters. Back, from left, Daniel Gardiner, Paxton Morin, Margo Stoesz, Saige Wall, Emma Stade and Loretta Trujillo.
SOME JUNIOR HIGH Band members getting down to “brass” tacks. Front-to-back, Baylee Jepsen, Fletcher Hanson, Noah Rempel, Daniel Gardiner and Isaac Grev.
SWEET SAXOPHONE SOUNDS. From left, Paton Buller, Anna Kirk and Orea Morales. (Behind, on trumpet, is Jon Faber.)
MLPS DIRECTOR OF Bands (Grades 5-12) Kurt Jahnke, left, leads the Junior High Band in four selections. Fantasia on “Christmas Comes Anew,” a traditional French carol arranged by Michael Story; Holiday Hoedown (Based on “Up on the Housetop”), arranged by John Moss; “Silver Bells,” arranged by Robert Powers and “Jingle-Bell rock” by Joe Beal and Jim Boothe. On clarinet in the front row, from left, Delainey Janzen, Kiana Peters and Ashley Watkins. Behind, Vicente Ibarra Alvarado on saxophone. At back, on trumpet, from left, Brett Willaby, Mace Herrig and Ethan Nickel.
THE SLIDE TROMBONE. From left, Kyle Haberman, Addam Rust and Lance Krueger. At far left is Carly Osland on French horn.
FLUTISTS SABRINA HANSON, left and Wendy Tema-Lopez, right.
PERCUSSION ACCOMPANISTS FOR the Senior High Choir’s opening son, “Jabula Jesu,” a Zulu folk song by Stephen Hatfield, are backed by the voices of the choir. Percussionists at front, from left, Ethan Klassen, Josiah Gardiner, Jaden Hoek, Zach Spinks and Aaron Fast. Choir members include, front, from left, Jordan Boldt, Morgan Pietsch, Rosalinda Tema, Martina Simon, Jaylee Lugo, Amethyst Hopkins, Madison Schroeder, Jae Faber, Carmen Syverson, Karen Soutthivong and Maritza Lopez. Second row, from left, Sarah Reese, Kenna Gardiner, Kalley Rempel, Elizabeth Koetzle, Alexis Jellema-Baerg, Alexa Heffele, Meredith Suess, Kassandra Tellez and Kristina Vongkaenchanh. Third row, from left, Dayton Hanson, Nicholas Curry, Bobby Saengosoth, Andrew Fast, Jose Baldone, Reynaldo Capetillo, Junior Louangsaphakdy, Junior Garcia and Brodie Freeman. Back, from left, Drake Harder, Tiger Sengmany, Christian Voshage Hampel, Akin Tema-Lopez, Benito Aguirre, Kaleb Haberman, Ethan Karschnik, Ruben Fentanez, Braden Rempel, Eli Karschnik and Luciano Estrada.
SENIOR HIGH CHOIR’S deep voices. Front, from left, McKenly Bryan, Jacob Suess and Maleek Stewart. Back, from left, Sam Grev, Ian Glassic and Alex Sunderman.
STRONG SOPRANO SUPPORT. Front, from left, Jaelin Renquist, Jewel Soutthivong, Kayla Vonk, Skylar McKinney, Diana Garcia, Ana Fentanez, Kyla Perkins and Taylor Naas. Back, from left, Lexia Peters, Jareya Harder, Taylor Hudson, Chandra Pfeiffer, Sarah Reese and Lily Kauffman.
WITH MARTHA STANDERWICK accompanying on piano, front right, and led by Director of Choirs (Gradees 6-12) Andrea Brinkman, front left, the Senior High Choir presents a new arrangement of “Silent Night” by Peter Anglea. Choir members pictured include, front, from left, Morgan Pietsch, Rosalinda Tema, Martina Simon, Jaylee Lugo, Amethyst Hopkins, Madison Schroeder, Jae Faber and Carmen Syverson. Second row, from left, Jaden Hoek, Kenna Gardiner, Kalley Rempel, Elizabeth Koetzle, Alexia Jellema-Baerg, Alexa Heffele and Meredith Suess. Third row, from left, Nicholas Curry, Ethan Klassen, Bobby Saengosoth, Andrew Fast, Jose Baldone, Reynaldo Capetillo and Junior Louangsaphakdy. Back, from left, Tiger Sengmany, Christian Voshage Hampel, Akin Tema-Lopez, Benito Aguirre, Kaleb Haberman, Ethan Karschnik and Ruben Fentanez.
SOLOISTS AT FRONT, Amethyst Hopkins, left and Liana Blomgren, right, lead the Senior High Choir in “How Great Our Joy,” arranged by Cliff Duren. At back are choir members, front, from left, Kyla Perkins, Taylor Naas, Rylie Tollefson, Brook Sunderman, Signey Stoesz, Marta Stoesz and Jordan Boldt. Middle, from left, Sarah Reese, Lily Kauffman, Jenneel Rodney, Michaela Cate, Chanah Brandt and Emily Jahnke. Back, from left, Jacob Suess, Maleek Stewart, Devin Phetsomphou, Hunter Dahna and Collin Voshage Hampel. Another song sung by the choir, “Shut De Do,” arranged by Mark Hayes, featured soloists Lexia Peters, Ruben Fentanez and Signey Stoesz.
SINGING OUT ON songs of the season. Front, Sam Xayanourom, left and Ryan McCue, right. Back, David Hall, left and Cutter Garloff, right.
CELEBRATING HOW GREAT their joy is are some of the Senior High Choir altos. Front, from left, Carmen Syverson, Karen Soutthivong and Maritza Lopez. Back, from left, Alexa Heffele, Meredith Suess and Kassandra Tellez. Behind is a glimpse of tenor Junior Louangsaphakdy.
A SELECTION OF Senior High Band members provided peaceful, ethereal sounds as part of the number, “Still, Still, Still,” a traditional German carol arranged by Randall Sandridge, by rubbing wetted fingers around the lip of glass stemware containing water. One of those special instrumentalists was Brook Sunderman – typically a flutist.
SENIOR HIGH BAND musicians on the 13th century plainsong, “Divinum Mysterium,” arranged by Tom Wallace. From left, Paige Rust, Danielle Duerksen and Caitlin Johnson.
ADDING THE DEEP, throbbing sounds of the tympani to P. I. Tchaikovsky’s Themes from “The Nutcracker Suite,” is percussionist Hamlock Tanyavong.
PERCUSSIONIST JADEN HOEK takes to the drum set to provide the beat.
SENIOR HIGH BAND flutist Kyla Perkins.
THOMAS REGIER PLAYS the deep low notes of the baritone.
A LINE OF trombonists. Front-to-back, Liana Blomgren, Dylan Krueger, Sam Xayanourom and Kaleb Haberman.
