On Thursday, October 24th, Maine West had the pleasure of hosting all of the area elementary and middle school choir students at the annual Des Plaines Choral Festival! Students participated in workshops and rehearsals together during the day, which culminated in an evening concert performed together.
HERE is a folder full of pictures from the festival.
HERE is the concert program.
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Today, Maine West had the pleasure of hosting choral students from our elementary and middle partner schools. Hundreds of students joined their voices together in song through clinics during the day and in the evening concert. It was a sight and sound to behold!
Thank you to all of the District 62 teachers and to Mr. Jim Schiffer, Maine West Choir Director, who made today's event possible for these students!
Special thanks to guest conductor Ms. Katie Colby from Jones College Prep.
HERE is the program from the concert.
HERE are more pictures from today's Des Plaines Choral Festival.
On November 15th over 200 singers from the 11 elementary and middle schools in Community Consolidated School District 62 participated in the 2022 Des Plaines Choral Festival! The day was filled with musically and educationally enriching activities, including the opportunity to work with guest clinician and conductor (and a Maine West grad!), Amy Branahl.
In the evening, these students joined forces to present a wonderful concert program:
The Star Spangled Banner (Frances Scott Key)
Bonse Aba (Traditional, arr. Johnson & Blevins)
I Dream of a World (Blevins)
Something Told the Wild Geese (Porterfield)
Joyfully Sing (Crocker)
Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon, arr. Shaw)
Take Me Home (Pentatonix, arr. Emerson)
with the finale being Together (Franklin, Jackson, Kerr, Smallbone) arranged by our guest conductor, Ms. Amy Branahl
Thanks to all of the music teachers who made this day possible:
Jim Schiffer (Maine West Choir Director), Kati Tran (Central), Nate Coon (Cumberland), Terri Meyers (Forest), Julia Musgraves & Patrice Bell (North), Colleen Beaver (Orchard Place), Stephanie Wubbena (Plainfield), Joan Abrams (South), Mary Prost (Terrace), Lesley Hoerner (Algonquin), Eric West (Chippewa), and Sarah Todd (Iroquois).
Thanks to Ms. Branahl for your work with all of our students!
We are forever grateful to the Maine West Fine Arts Boosters for all of their help at this (and all) Fine Arts event! Thanks to all of the parents and caregivers who helped at this year's Choral Festival!
Lastly, thanks to all of the family, friends and fans who came out to the concert! It was wonderful for the students to perform for a packed house!
Today, Maine West welcomed over 275 singers from District 62 schools to the Des Plaines Choral Festival. The students participated in a variety of rehearsals with Mr. Jim Schiffer (Maine West's Choir Director) and with guest conductor, Dr. Jason Hawkins from Western Illinois University.
Maine West students talked with all the District 62 students about singing at West and the opportunities they will have in high school!
The elementary choirs, middle school choirs and high school choirs all performed their own pieces, and then combined together for a massive finale, Walk Through Life by Pinkzebra. Here is a a glimpse of this finale from the rehearsal:
Thank you to all of the music teachers for collaborating and making this event happen!
More pictures from today's festival can be found HERE.
