On April 13, the music department headed to the Kansas State High School Activities Association’s State Large Group Music Festival – and came home with lots of hardware. 

Six groups of band, orchestra and choir students participated in the contest, and each one received a 1 rating, the highest possible honor. 

Each group performed two or three pieces for three judges, and each group received 1s from at least two judges. 

Choir

Madrigals – Indodana, Ritmo, Grace Before Sleep

Philharmonic Choir – O Love, Nda Wana

Bel Canto – Jordan’s Angels, Poor Wayfaring Stranger

Band

Wind Ensemble – Symphonic Dance No. 3 “Fiesta,” Florentiner

Symphonic Band – Remembering the Remarkable, Festivo

Orchestra 

Philharmonic Orchestra – St. Paul’s Suite, Berceuse and Finale from “The Firebird Suite”

Some students competed in more than one group, such as sophomore Danielle Turner, who performed with the Wind Ensemble (flute and piccolo), the Philharmonic Orchestra’s full orchestra piece (flute and piccolo) and the Philharmonic Choir (soprano 1). 

“I thought it was fun because I got to perform in all three different rooms and got to see the different auditoriums that they have in East,” Turner said. “It was just a fun experience because when you play music with the musicians, it is one of the best communities you’ll ever experience.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the large group festival last occurred in 2019, and so it was the majority of students’ first time performing there, including Turner.

“Music in general is just an amazing experience,” Turner said. “But with the people I was with it was amazing.”