More than 300 musicians chosen for High Plains Festival

The musicians were selected through taped auditions and by recommendations by their high school music instructors. They will form five groups – the High Plains Men’s Choir, the High Plains Women’s Choir, the High Plains Honor Choir, the High Plains Festival Band and the High Plains Honor Band.

After the two days of rehearsals, the musicians will present a concert at 5 p.m. Tuesday in Memorial Hall. It will be open to the public without charge.

Three Chadron State music professors will be joined by two guest conductors to direct the groups.

From Chadron State, Dr. Una Taylor will direct the women’s choir, Dr. Joel Schreuder will direct the men’s choir and Dr. Adam Lambert will direct the festival band.

Dr. Don Peterson, who is associate professor of music education at Brigham Young University, will direct the honor band. Peterson is in his 22nd year at BYU, where he is interim conductor of the BYU Wind Symphony. For 21 years, he was director of the Cougar Marching Band.

Dr. Jamie Spillane, who is director of choral and vocal activities at Iowa Wesleyan College, will direct the honor choir. Spillane directs three choirs, has a private voice studio and teaches choral conducting and secondary methods classes. He also directs Mount Pleasant Chorale, an ensemble consisting of college singers and others from the community.

Members of the various groups, by school:

 

High Plains Men’s Choir

Ainsworth — Michael Sholes

Alliance — James Pyatt

Bayard — Bryan Clay, James Houck, Julian Ochoa, Sean Ridgeway, Nathaniel Rice, Mikah Schmall, Robert White

Custer, S.D. — George Bland, Darin Smith, Luke Stender, Garrett Wong

Gering — Christian Bosch, Jonathan Brady

Gordon-Rushville — Colton Gibbons, Donald Hlava, Jonathan Johanssen, Thomas Neeley

Kimball — James Merryfield, Mark Mietus, Lyle Janicek, Matt Merryfield, Brady Baker

Leyton — Justin Reimers

Moorcroft, Wyo. — Jacob Burger

Sidney — Alex Bond, Josh Brauer, Wil Dellinger, Michael Gipfert, Shane Henderson, Noah Matthews, Jake Wirth

Todd County, S.D. — Matthew Her Many Horses, Josh Larson

Upton, Wyo. — A. J. Remington

Valentine — Ethan Larson, Michael Perrett, Tyler Schmitz

 

High Plains Women’s Choir

Ainsworth — Jessica Chamberlain, Kwynn Gracey, Kayla Klammer, Kirsten Peterson, Emmy Runyan, Karlene Wagner, Ashton Wiebiesick

Alliance — Megan Aguallo, Becci French, Kayt Sullivan, Kirsten Swanson, Natasha Turnbull

Banner County — Tashonna Frye, Joyce Gifford, Sarah Law, Jenna Welchel

Bayard — Kendra Cadwallader, Christy Ferrero, Brittany Korell, Chelsea Rein

Bridgeport — Rebecca Hall, Simone Spurgeon

Chadron — Paige Bauerkemper, Chelsea Hill, Kindra Johnson, Bethany Sloan

Crawford — Kendra Dirks, Carrie Goff, Molly Lux, Katie Martin, Erin Neal

Custer, S.D. — Hilary Fischer, Taylor Foster, Allison Kostelecky, Katie Krueger, Taylor Neugebauer, Alexandria Schultz

Gering — Brittany Charles, Aspen Clements, Miranda Miles, Erika Neugebauer, Emily O’Boyle, Sierra Walker, Robyn Wright

Gordon-Rushville — Alleyne Cromwell, Kayla Forster, Breanna Hardin, Tamara Reese, Caitlin Reneer, Jacqueline Sinnett, Abi Wellnitz

Hemingford — Kelly Marie, Katoya Rosentrater

Hulett, Wyo. — Brittany Backen, Mindy McGuire, Kaitee Pilcher

Kimball — Kathryn Ganskow, Erin Knisely, Cortny McWilliams

Leyton — Mariah Jessen, Holly Joedeman

Mitchell — Dali Cross

Moorcroft, Wyo. — Sarah Buer, Eliza Burger, Courtney Hemphill

Sidney — Xina Balandran, Elizabeth Dorwart, Alycia Eaton, Rebecca Fischer, Megan Gipfert, Jayma Loghry, Michelle Mahr, Katie Mead, Katlynne Mikkelson, Kristin Nichols

Todd County, S.D. — Shaydel Engel, Brittany Gunhammer, Emmy Her Many Horses, Teela Lamoureux

Valentine — Tracy Critchfield, Erin Dunn, Calli Johnson, Paige May, Kassi Risseeuw, Kelsey Ryschon, Katie Tehrani

 

High Plains Honor Choir

Ainsworth — Lane Carr, Kyle Klammer

Alliance — Devan Collins, Sheena Curtiss, Dan Marquez, Claire Tolstedt

Banner County — Hannah Hostetler

Bayard — Jennifer McMurtry, Shelbie Rose, JaCee Pilkington, Sam Zitterkopf, Miles Essay

Bridgeport — Marissa Steer, Molly Steer, Angela Wickard

Chadron — Kane Hencey, Brad Kizer, Whitney Miller, Cooper Norman

Crawford — Darrick Hanks, Phillip Martin, Chelsey Storbeck, Tracy Witt

Custer, S.D. — Lewis Hachmeister, Cody Hart, Sam Hosman, Libby Marking, Cora Nelson, Heidi Nelson, Hannah Schaup

Gering — Brady Foreman, Ty Hebbert, Elizabeth Moore, David Rupp, Ashley Scott

Gordon-Rushville — Aerin Neeley, Arielle Tiensvold, Michelle Vinton

Kimball — Nichole Fossand, Stephanie Fossand, Randi Hansen, Cohen Phillips, Brock Tjosvold

Leyton — Shari Ahlschwede

Sidney — Jordan Davis, Chris Gabis, Eric Gutierrez, Derek Phelps, Jasmine Scripp, Harley Thurow

Upton, Wyo. — K.C. Davis, Ryan Diehl, Jamie Frederick, Dalton Latham

Valentine — Nate Dodson, Amy Graham, Elizabeth McQuistan, Ellie Petersen, Baley Sargent, Sarah Simmons

 

High Plains Festival Band

Ainsworth — Gina Imm, clarinet; Caleb Hoyt, percussion; Kari Kenner, clarinet

Alliance — Nathan Escamilla, percussion; Alison Gould, horn; Taylor Liptack, flute; Sarah McCaffery, clarinet; Aaron Meyer, tuba; Nicholas Miller, euphonium; Tommy Miller, tuba; Kelli Van Meter, horn; Sean Woods, percussion

Bayard — Michael Coolidge, alto saxophone

Bridgeport — Caleb Wiggins, alto saxophone

Chadron — Lukas Birr, percussion

Crawford — Ashley Hughes, clarinet

Elm Creek — Britni Goodner, baritone saxophone

Gering — Cassie Doremus, bass clarinet; Alicia Feather, flute; Erin Kautz, trumpet; Ellie Nash, trombone; Brian Peister, trombone; Kaci Romey, clarinet; James Schwartzkopf, tenor saxophone; Dani Smith, trumpet; Kristin Todd, flute; Ric Trapp, percussion; Jessica Woolsey, flute

Gordon-Rushville — Trent Beguin, trumpet; Lane Conroy, trumpet; Leah Fairhead, alto saxophone; Rick Marlatt, trombone; Dan Sasse, euphonium; Austin Wacker, trumpet; Brianna Young, clarinet

Hemingford — Taylor Jespersen,, trumpet

Julesburg, Colo. — Anna Aulston, tenor saxophone

Kimball — Lindsey Keeler, flute; Lauren Perry, flute

Leyton — Jake Nelson, trombone, Nick Sanders, trumpet; Tom Twite, tuba

Mitchell — Katy Abernethy, tenor saxophone

Moorcroft, Wyo. — Aubry Gray, alto saxophone; Brooklyn Waters, alto saxophone

Sidney — Lance Christian, trumpet; Kyle Christofferson, trombone; Steven Garcia, trumpet; Paul Raymond, trombone; Allison Wager, flute

Sturgis, S.D. — Kate Altstiel, clarinet; Elizabeth Bales, clarinet; Aisling Ball, trombone; Annie Bruch, tuba; Kyle Chalk, clarinet; Brianna Dodge, flute; Amanda Froelich, percussion; Nick Goodhope, percussion; Keifer Mundt, trumpet; Josh Schultz, trumpet

Todd County, S.D. — Jaden Allen, baritone saxophone

Valentine — Esther Petersen, euphonium; Staci Starr, flute; Allison Whitney, clarinet

 

High Plains Honor Band

Ainsworth — Tessa Jacobsen, flute

Alliance — Kayla Batt, trumpet; Monica Delacruz, clarinet; Megan Dimmitt, horn; Taylor Moore, tuba; Nevin Price, trombone; Nathan Snyder, trombone; Nic Snyder, trumpet; Jess Watson, euphonium

Bayard — Amy Peters, clarinet; Robin Stadwick, clarinet

Bridgeport — Titus Kautz, baritone saxophone

Chadron — Dan Cisneros, tenor saxophone; Lauren Daniels, bass clarinet; Opal Fields, clarinet; Kiya Stack, clarinet

Crawford — Melody Goff, trombone

Custer, S.D. — Jared Fischer, alto saxophone; Caitlin Kurtz, trumpet; Jonathan Murphy, horn; Scarlett Theilin, flute; Kyler Thomas, clarinet

Gering — Kristin Cacciavallani, tenor saxophone; David Kelley, percussion; Megan Kautz, alto saxophone; Kate Macken, alto saxophone; Aaron Raines, percussion; Elizabeth Robinson, horn; Lance Satur, trombone; Alisa Stuckert, percussion; Andrew Wilhelm, trumpet

Gordon-Rushville — Zane Graham, euphonium; Michael Kruger, trumpet; Shannon Richardson, euphonium

Hemingford — Britt Anderson, clarinet

Hulett, Wyo. — Megan Dirks, tuba; Manel Pfeifer, flute

Kimball — Rachel Moeser, trombone; Kaitlin Wilson, flute

Mitchell — Nick Brunkhorst, trumpet

North Platte — Amber Willard, clarinet

Sidney — Kathryn Sherfey, clarinet; Jordan Sukup, flute; Allie Primm, bass clarinet; Jonah Moore, tuba

Sturgis, S.D. — Rachelle Bedard, clarinet; Kelsey Bedford, horn; Sean Bestgen, percussion; Katrina Fulton, flute; Alex Grebin, percussion; Sierra Lasnetske, percussion; Emily Lisko, percussion; Moriah McFarland, flute; Adam McKnight, trumpet; Jake Roman, trumpet; Lauren Takahashi, alto saxophone.