Guest Director Connie Stordalen directs 80 area students for the Surround the State in Song festival in Jamestown
JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – 80 students in grades 5 through 7 were in Jamestown Saturday, Oct. 15 to join in a statewide collaboration.
Sponsored by the North Dakota American Choral Directors Association (NDACDA), “Surround The State In Song” is an annual choir festival at seven North Dakota locations with involvement from area schools.
Connie Stordalen is the director for Bismarck Horizon Middle School and the guest conductor for the Jamestown event.
Stordalen has been a director 25 years and was asked to be the guest conductor for the Jamestown event. She added she enjoys working with the 5th, 6th, and 7th graders as they develop their musical talents.
More than 400 students from 80 schools in North Dakota participated in 2021.
Students practiced all morning and a portion of the afternoon before hosting a concert open to the public at 3:30 PM at the Jamestown High School.
The group was accompanied by Dr. John Clodfelter with the University of Jamestown.
Participating schools, directors, and students in the Jamestown festival included:
Buffalo City Homeschool
Choir Director: Heidi Tyson
Elijah Rosin, Lydia Rosin, Will Tyson, Aliyah Tyson, Oliver Fewell, Danica Lee, Jovi Taylor, Kimber Fig, Alea Kahler
Ellendale
Director: Charlene Blondo
Samuel Hawker, Evoleht Holt, Demi Duran
Jamestown
Director: Heather Aune
Maddie Tanata, Kate Redfearn, McKenziee Goodrich, Alice Sundeen, Dax Wick, Sawyer Kihle, Faith Roller, Maeley Thornton, Autumn Moser, Sophie Hoff, Summer Obenauer, Maci Fisher, Hadley Wanzek, McKinley Johnson, Mya Dawson, Jerney Roemmich
Medina
Music Teacher: Rochelle Bosche
Mayse Friesen, Lillian Higdem, Colton Elston, Corah-Jo Elston, Reanna Schlecht, Ilaina Schmidt, Charice Slaughter, Aubree Lachenmeier
Montpelier
Music Teacher: Kristen Lynch
Tylan Moseng-Fettig, Cora LaMont, Lilly Thorlakson, Veda Lee Josie Butterfield, Ella Lien, Rowan Everett, Dakota Forvilly, Trinity Lusby, Maelyn Sahr
New Rockford-Sheyenne
Music Teacher: Heather Klocke
Rosalee Irmen, Makaya Heskin, Evan Hultgren, Theodore Hall, Neecie Swart, Joshua Lukach, Liza Steele
Sargent Central
Choir Director: Kaia Mahrer
Lydia Anderson, Hayley Anderson, Hana Dockter, Natalie Parrow, Liltith Pavel, Brooklyn Pherson, Paislee Pherson, Cayda Kempel, Rose Warcken, Natalie Weatherby, Lexi Sanford, Lucas Butler, Sawyer Toepke, Bentley Degenstein, Caden Faincott, Jackson Rasmussen, Jerry Erickson, Brody Ennis, Julia Mahrer, Eli Olson, Aarrow Bergh
Zeeland Elementary
Music Teacher: Trudy Fraase Wolf
Braelyn Wenger, Avery Richards, Pearl Miller, Hemi Vetsch