Waukon Choir members attend RitterSing Honor Choir, perform with M-Pact ...

Saturday, October 7, students in seventh through 12th grades from Waukon Middle School and High School attended the RitterSing Chorus Festival at Wartburg College in Waverly. RitterSing is designed to bring together tenor and bass singers from across the region to motivate the bass clef singers in high school choral programs early in the year. The festival offers two choirs: a 7th-9th/10th Grade Middle School Chorus and a 9th Grade-Adult Chorus. Choir directors can choose whichever choir works best for their students. Dr. Lee Nelson, director of choral activities at Wartburg College, conducted the high school chorus. Assistant Professor of Choral Music and Music Education at University of Dayton, OH, Dr. Steven Hankle, conducted the 7th-9th/10th Grade Chorus.

The students learned from and sang with Guest Ensemble M-Pact. RitterSing participants joined together with a M-Pact original arrangement, released only to those who are participating in RitterSing. The students had an amazing day making music, making friends, and making memories through their involvement in the Waukon Choirs under the direction and supervision of Sarah J. Bieber (6-12 Vocal Music Instructor) and chaperone Carrie Niehaus (Middle School Counselor). The concert concluded with a mass song of about 500 singers performing a four-part arrangement of “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” with the M-Pact group leading the men in song.

Picture above at the RitterSing event are this year’s participating students from Waukon Middle School and High School. Left to right - Front row: Mason Bell, Cody Harrington, Zach Strittmater, Roland Melcher, Cole Smedsrud; Middle row: Trillian Carraher, Janelle Reinhardt, Michael Koester, AJ Kelley; Back row: Drake Hankes, Memphis Miller, Marcus Gebel, Gus Benjegerdes, Jaedyn McGuire. Submitted photo.