Glenwood City, Boyceville musicians participate in Dunn-St. Croix Honors Band and Choir Festival

ELMWOOD — The best high school musicians throughout the Dunn-St. Croix Conference once again renewed their friendships and a long-running tradition when they gathered in Elmwood on Saturday, January 26, 2013.

The Dunn-St. Croix All-Conference Honors Band and Choir Festival marked its 35th year in January as 179 student musicians and 14 instrumental and choral directors, including a guest conductor/clinician, from eight conference schools melded at Elmwood High School on Saturday, January 26 for an afternoon filled with outstanding musical performances. The collaboration included students from Boyceville, Colfax, Elmwood, Glenwood City, Mondovi, Pepin, Plum City, and Spring Valley.

Glenwood City and Boyceville were once again well represented in the annual Dunn-St. Croix Music Honors Program.

Glenwood City, in particular, sent a large selection of student musicians. Glenwood City had 59 students participate in the 2013 event as nearly a third (29 of 100) of the band membership was comprised of Hilltoppers and a quarter (19 of 79) of the honors choir.

Boyceville had seven, three musicians in the band and four vocalists in the choir.

Started in 1979, the Dunn-St. Croix Honors Project was a way of bringing together the finest musicians in the conference. From its inception, the main philosophy was to have students from different schools work toward a common goal of cooperation and excellence rather than competing for first place. Even through conference realignments, this group of schools has remained dedicated to this goal as the Dunn-St. Croix Music Association.

For the 22nd consecutive year, a guest conductor/clinician led a portion of the Honors Music Festival. This year the Dunn-St. Croix Honors Choir was under the direction of Cathy Reitz, who led the 79-voice choir through its five musical numbers. Reitz, a 30-plus year veteran in music education, is the choir director at DeLong Middle School in Eau Claire, WI. She is a national board certified teacher with degrees in music and education from St. Norbert College and UW-LaCrosse. Reitz directed the Valley Gospel Choir for 11 years, the Chippewa Valley Youth Choirs, and currently directs the Chippewa Valley Community Choir.

The 100-piece Honors Band also performed five musical numbers and were under the direction of Glenwood City’s Matt Lamb, Colfax’ James Woodford, Boyceville’s Diane Vig, Mondovi’s Adam Boll, and Pepin’s Amanda Schmidman.

Selection to the Honors Band or Choir is based on an application process that measures student musical achievements through participation and involvement in a wealth of musical activities that include solo and ensemble festivals and previous honors groups. The application is combined with their music director’s recommendation to complete the process. The following area students were selected to the Dunn-St. Croix Honors Band and Choir.

Glenwood City

Choir: Renita McCluskey, Soprano I; Isabella Nadeau, Soprano II; Savannah Kessler, Soprano II; Lydia McLelland, Alto I; Camille Olive, Alto II; Mikaela Voeltz, Alto II; Natasha Rassbach, Alto II; Nikki Gabbert, Alto II; Nick Schone, Tenor I; Owen Anderson, Tenor I; Isaac Tuttle, Tenor II; Kip Wallace, Tenor II; Tyler Johnson, Tenor II; Liam Brandt, Bass I; Tyler Nueske, Bass I; Ethan Brandt, Bass I; Mitch Hurtgen, Bass I; Chris Wagner, Bass II; and Andrew Bauman, Bass II.

Band: Maggie Jordheim, Flute; McKenzie Kruse, Flute; Mackenzie Wink, Clarinet; Katelyn Meyers, Clarinet; Leslie Ludtke, Clarinet; Kayla Hill, Clarinet; Gabby Peterson, Clarinet; Taylor Britton, Clarinet; Elizabeth Nyhus, Bass Clarinet; Marne Lewis, Bass Clarinet; Rachel Klatt, Bass Clarinet; Maya Petersen, Alto Saxophone; Morgan Kadinger, Alto Saxophone; Charlie Shackett, Tenor Saxophone; Richard Ross, Trumpet; Jenna Magsam, Trumpet; Kayla Bloss, Trumpet; Megan Steinberger, French Horn; Olivia Weidling, French Horn; Ellen Lindquist, French Horn; Jacob Hierlmeier, Trombone; Jenny Lindquist, Trombone; Nathan Hill, Trombone; Brennan Kessler, Euphonium; Jim Buttles, Tuba; Ashley Burns, Percussion; Kaylin Spaeth, Percussion; Stephanie Caress, Percussion; and Hannah Ludtke, Percussion.

Boyceville

Choir: Courtney Richardson, Soprano I; Amanda McCoy, Soprano I; Alexa Horner, Alto I; and Lauren Klassen, Alto II.

Band: Hannah Jerrie, Flute; Nicole Bartos, Trumpet; and Logan McAbee-Thomas, Trombone