Sterling High School sent nine students who were selected by audition to participate in the Patriot League Honor Choir Festival held Monday, Nov. 14, at Union Colony Civic Center, in Greeley.
Students attending included Anthony Gallegos, bass, Faith Cole, alto and Lillie Everitt, alto, in the mixed choir and Annabelle Basgall, soprano 1, Laura See, soprano 1, Mariana Gonzalez, soprano 2, Jasmine Mitchell, soprano 2, Molly Mitchell, alto and Alyssa Boden, alto, in the women's choir. They were joined by SHS Choir Director Annette Lambrecht.
The clinician for the mixed honor choir was David McNeil, who serves on the music faculty at Colorado Christian University as assistant professor of music – director of choral studies, where he conducts the University Choir, the Men's Chorus and Peak Harmony Vocal Ensemble. Under his direction, the university's choral ensembles have appeared in concerts and events at CCU and in performances across the state of Colorado.
In addition to CCU, McNeil is the artistic director of the Vittoria Ensemble, a Denver-based chamber choir specializing in vocal music of the fifteenth through the eighteenth centuries. In 2021, he served as choir and vocal teacher at the Sitka Fine Arts Camp in Sitka, Alaska, and he is an active guest clinician and lecturer.
The clinician for the women's choir was Abigail Martinez, a teacher, performer, clinician and director from Grand Junction. A 2006 Boettcher Scholar, her true passion lies in directing the Erie Middle School Choir program, where she has been teaching since 2010. She conducts three grade-level choirs, as well as the Vox Obsidian Baritone Choir, Tiger Lily Select Treble Choir, and Wells & Main A Cappella Choir. Throughout her tenure at Erie Middle School, she has been a finalist for the St. Vrain Valley School District Encore Teacher of the Year Award five times and was awarded the designation in 2017. This year, SVVSD will feature her as the "spotlight" teacher in its annual district-wide magazine publication.
In addition to teaching in Erie, Martinez regularly attends and presents at conferences and clinics as an active member of the National Association for Music Education and the American Choral Directors Association, and often appears as a guest clinician and festival adjudicator across Colorado.
After a day full of learning from the clinicians, the students gave an evening performance.
The women's choir was accompanied by Scott Hamlin as they gave a program selected from the following titles: "Vichten," "Who Can Sail," "If It Must Be" and "Up on the Mountain Shouting."
The mixed choir, accompanied by Christina Contreras, gave a program selected from the following titles: "Verleih uns Frieden (Grant us Thy Peace)," "Brightest and Best," "Keep Your Lamps" and "The Storm is Passing Over."
At the conclusion of the concert, both choirs combined to sing "I Should Be Glad."
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