The 66th Annual All-State Chorus and Orchestra was held the on October 27, 2018 at the Rushmore Civic Plaza in Rapid City SD.

Attending and participating this year are Megan Merkwan-Soprano, Joanna Soukup-Alto, Kallen Kafka-Bass, Grant Namminga-Tenor, Olivia Breen-Soprano, Haley Drapeaux-Alto, Chance Blaha- Bass and Malcolm Janis-Tenor. Austin Genzlinger was the chorus director that accompanied the students. Dr. Phillip Swan was the All-State Guest Chorus Conductor. He is the Co-Director of Choral Studies and Musical Director for LU Musicals. Swan teaches courses in conducting, musical theatre and music education. He has a BA in music education and DMA in Choral Conducting, his doctoral essay is entitled, “In His Own Words: The Choral Music of Eric Whitacre from 1991-2004”

The South Dakota All-State Chorus members are selected locally by the choral directors in each high school. Each school is allowed to bring a pre-determined number of quartets based on each school’s enrollment. This year, the chorus is comprised of 928 singers representing 145 high school.

The selections performed this year are the “Star Spangled Banner” by Francis Scoot Key, two combined numbers with the orchestra-Confutatis/Lacrymosa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Climb by Jake Runestad. Also performed by the chorus were: We Have Come by Abbie Betinis, Ubi Caritas by Maurice Duruflé’, arr. By Baker, Fiddler of Cooney by Daniel J. Hall, Wayfaring Stranger arr. Michael Engelhardt and Flight Song by Kim Andre’ Amesen.

It was a busy two days of practice and more practice that culminated into a beautiful concert on Saturday evening.