Over 1,000 of South Dakota’s best high school vocal and instrumental musicians will gather in Sioux Falls for the 67th Annual South Dakota All-State Chorus and Orchestra on Friday and Saturday, November 1 & 2. The All-State activities will culminate with a Grand Concert at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center beginning at 7:00 p.m. (CDT) on Saturday evening, November 2nd. Concert tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com, or at the box office in the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center. The doors of the PREMIER Center will open for the Concert at 5:30 on Saturday evening.
Twelve local signers will take part in this year’s All-State Chorus. Eight students from Dell Rapids and four students from Dell Rapids St Mary will participate in the concert. Kat Fletcher, Morgan Brech, Abby Stauffenecker, Anna Symens, Andrew Weiland, Gunner Chamley, Peyton Gleason, and Logan Schrad were selected from Dell Rapids. Avery Carder, Paige Bunkers, Noah Dennis, and Jon Bares were selected from Dell Rapids St Mary.
The annual All-State Chorus & Orchestra, sponsored by South Dakota High School Activities Association, is the largest interscholastic high school music activity held in South Dakota. The 2019 All-State Chorus includes 940 singers representing 144 South Dakota high schools. The All-State Orchestra is comprised of 156 musicians from 25 schools.
The guest conductors for the 2019 All-State Chorus & Orchestra Concert are Dr. Timothy Dixon from Messiah College, and Dr. Andrew Last from Luther College. Dr. Last will conduct the All-State Chorus while Dr. Dixon will lead the 2019 All-State Orchestra.
During the All-State Grand Concert, the South Dakota Music Educators Association will recognize several high schools and individuals for their contributions to music in South Dakota. The SDHSAA will also recognize Deanna Wehrspann for her contributions to interscholastic music education by awarding her with the SDHSAA Distinguished Service Award.