WHS vocal students perform at Dorian

January 11, 1,392 high school students came together for the largest honor choir in the United States at the Center for Faith and Life at Luther College in Decorah for the 60th annual Dorian Vocal Festival Grand Concert. Waukon High School seniors Cassie Thorson, Lucas Wesling, Matt Johnson, Mackenzie Lyons and Johnny Bartling, and junior Elizabeth Riese participated in the event.
The grand concert started out with Nordic Choir under the direction of Craig Arnold. Following the Nordic Choir performance, there were performances by Outstanding Vocal Soloists who were participating in the festival. The soloists who performed at the concert were select vocal soloists chosen by members of the Luther College voice faculty and guest clinicians.
Out of the 1,392 students singing in the festival choir, 350 of them auditioned for the chance to perform their solo at the concert, including Mackenzie Lyons, who auditioned with Per la Gloria D’adorarvi by Giovanni Bononcini.
After the solo performances, the Chamber Choir, an audition group at Dorian that had over 300 applicants this year, performed Praise and Honor and Wisdom and Thanks (Wagner), Ave Maria (Franz Biebl) and Ritmo (Dan Davidson) under the direction of Sandra Peter and Craig Arnold. Mackenzie Lyons and Johnny Bartling were among the 110 participants.
After the chamber choir performance, all 1,392 Dorian vocalists joined together in singing Gloria from Heiligmesse (Haydn) and How Can I Keep From Singing (Taylor Davis) directed by Craig Arnold. Then the females all performed Set Me As A Seal (Richard Nance) under the direction of Sandra Peter followed by the men singing Que Bonita Va! (arranged by Juan Tony Guzman, who also directed).
To conclude the concert, all participants joined in singing We Are One Voice (Paul Oakley) under the direction of Craig Arnold.