North Dakota was Surrounded in Song!
- North Dakota ACDA
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
At 9 AM they started coming in. Some excited. Some nervous. Some arriving on
buses or school vans. Some dropped off by parents. Some came from K-12 schools
with only 50 students, and some came from 7 th grade choirs of 50+. But they all came
for the love of singing. That spark is what makes Surround the State in Song such a
special festival each year, and this year’s event was no exception.
On Saturday, October 11th , NDACDA hosted the annual Surround the State in
Song Choral Festival. 742 students in grades 5-7 met at seven locations across the
state to sing together. What a fantastic day of music making across the state!
Surround the State in Song is a fantastic way to supplement our school choral
programs with more singing opportunities. It opens the door for students to join their
own school choral programs as they continue into middle and high school. It provides
opportunities to learn from new directors and offers networking for participating
teachers. It introduces students to reading 2-part octavos. Most importantly, it builds on
the already fantastic music education happening across North Dakota and promotes a
love of choral singing.
A huge thank you to the many people who made this event possible:
Site Managers and Venues
Shana Klee and myself at Bismarck High School
Conway Heupel at Dickinson
Michael Osthus at Olivet Lutheran Church in Fargo
Maggie Nistler at South Middle School in Grand Forks
Terri Berentson at Minot North High School
Heather Aune at Larry Robinson Center for the Arts in Valley City
Christina Winslow at Williston High School
Directors and Accompanists
Barb Gress and Katie Rooke in Bismarck
Sarah Olson and Karen Wagner in Dickinson
Cheryl McIntyre and Karen Hendrickson in Fargo
Dr. Casey Behm and Sydney Crockett in Grand Forks
John Swedberg and Marcy Witteman in Minot
Jacob Sherfy and Wyatt Landeis in Valley City
Dr. Anne Gassmann and Tara Carson in Williston
Additional Contributors
The NDACDA Board
Heather Aune for supporting me in my first year as state coordinator
Cheryl McIntyre for making the rehearsal tracks
Guest choirs who performed at several sites
Teachers and volunteers who jumped in to play percussion parts at the concert
Teachers and schools who prepared and brought students
Families who continue to support their young musicians
Randy Piatz at Piatz Promotional Products for the fantastic shirts
My family for helping prepare hundreds of postcards
And all the people I’ve unintentionally missed – your contributions mattered
The song selections this year were well received by teachers and students. I
encourage you to check them out if you are looking for new repertoire for young singers:
I Met a Bird - Jim Papoulis
Canon of Hope - Mark Burrows
Cantamos! (We Sing) - James M DesJardins
I’ve Got Joy - Otto Gross, Jayna Gross, and Abigail Flowers.
I always come away from this festival feeling rejuvenated, and I’m already
looking forward to next year.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Haugen
SSIS State Coordinator
