BROOKINGS — South Dakota State University will host the In-Service Music Conference on campus on Feb. 13-15.

The conference will bring music educators from across the state to the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center for a series of workshops and concerts. Included under the umbrella of the in-service are the 88th annual South Dakota Bandmasters Association Clinic and the 55th SDSU Choral Day.

Always a highlight of Feb. 13's events is the Elementary Festival Honor Choir. Conductor Tom Shelton, a nationally recognized choral scholar from the Westminster Choir College, will conduct over 180 selected elementary-aged students.

Chris Gleason, art and creativity consultant for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, will deliver the much-anticipated keynote address. Christopher Bianco, dean of the College of Fine and Performing Arts at Western Washington University, and New York-based French hornist Steven Cohen will serve as artists-in-residence.

Visiting bands performing include Brandon Valley High School and Fifth Grade bands, Garretson High School Band, Northern State University Band, Sioux Falls Roosevelt High School Band, University of Sioux Falls Wind Ensemble and the Whittier Middle School Wind Ensemble. Visiting choirs include Tea Area High School Choir, Brookings High School Chorale, O’Gorman High School Chamber Choir and the Milbank High School Choir.

Three conference performances are free and open to the public.

On Feb. 13, the SDSU Choral Day Elementary Festival Honor Choir will perform at 4:45 p.m. in the Larson Memorial Concert Hall. The Festival of Song, featuring high school honor choirs and the SDSU Concert Choir, will perform Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. The SDSU Wind Symphony will perform a free concert on Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Larson Memorial Concert Hall.

For more information about the conference, go here.