The December Concert
The Franklin Middle School and Lincoln High School choirs performed on the 10th and the 12th of December in the high school auditorium. It seemed as if the entire town was in the auditorium as it was completely packed. Darcy Reese directed and Kristi LaSalle accompanied on the piano. Their winter concert centered its message on peace and accepting diversity.
The night started with Concert Choir and the FMS Choir joining together on stage to sing an African Processional, which sounded like something from the Lion King. Breven Lingen, who is a middle school student, soloed.
The FMS Choir then left the stage leaving the Concert Choir to sing “Sure on this Shining Night” with Josie Hahn hitting the high note in her solo.
Next, the Bel Canto Choir sang, and clapped, an Afro-Celtic Diddle as a tribute to the late Gannon Hejlik, who was a choir member. After, the Bel Canto Choir sang “Ain’a Good News Everywhere” with Kailee Vigen as a soloist.
The FMS Choir entered the stage again to sing “There is Peace”. Shelby Hensrud, a FMS student, delivered a short message asking the audience to embrace diversity and strive for peace. While the middle school choir left the stage, Reese, who brings unparalleled energy to any stage, thanked the audience and discussed upcoming performances.
The Jazz group then came on stage (the students in choir deserve a medal for all the rearranging they had to do) and sang “O Mary, Don’t You Weep”. Alex Martinez, a foreign exchange student from Mexico, had a short but powerful solo in the song as well.
Vocal Inferno was up next singing “The Luckiest” with Alysson Karow soloing. After, three LHS students: Kailee Vigen, Elise Kalsnes, and Anna Nordhagen who is a 2016-2017 All-State Choir member, came to the stage. Kailee soloed, singing “Where Are You Christmas?”. Elise was second with “The Christmas Song”. Anna finished by singing “Once Upon a December”. All three performed beautifully.
The entire choir then came onto the stage to sing along with the audience in “The First Noel” and “Angels we Have Heard on High”.
The LHS Mass Choir finished the evening off singing the well-known “Silent Night”, “God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen”, “I’ll Tell My Ma” (the one with all the clapping), one last message given this time by Elise Kalsnes, and finally “Behold How Good” with Josie Hahn as a soloist.
Both the middle school choir and the high school choir performed flawlessly showcasing both individual and group talent. Reese did a wonderful job of directing everyone. The LHS Choir perfomed in Minneapolis at St. Mary’s Basilica on January 7th and at St. Joan of Arc yesterday. The choir will also be performing at Concordia at the end of January on the 27th-28th as well.
It’s always good to show support for our local music groups as they work extremely hard. If you have never been to a choir, band, or orchestra concert, go to one. It’s a great experience.