Honors choir to hold Friday concert

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BROOKINGS – The South Dakota State University School of Performing Arts is hosting the South Dakota American Choral Director’s Association High School Honor Choir this week. SDSU last hosted the event in 2015.

The choir’s final concert will take place in the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center’s Larson Memorial Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. Friday. General admission tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door.

Students from 34 South Dakota choral programs are involved in the 74-voice choir. The students participate in intensive rehearsals, sectional work and other activities such as a talent show, a dance, visits to the Miller Wellness Center and an SDSU ice cream night.

Paul Rardin, the Elaine Brown Chair of Choral Music at Temple University, is this year’s conductor.

“I’ve never had the pleasure of conducting such a unique festival. The weeklong format allows us to delve deeply into more music and presents a real buffet of genre and styles. The students are gifted, curious, hard-working, fun and are poised to put on a spectacular concert,” Rardin said.

Stacy Gross, who teaches at Discovery Elementary School in Sioux Falls, is the organizer for the choir.

“This is such a beautiful campus and the building is impeccable. It is an honor that our 47th Honor Choir is hosted this year at SDSU.”