Waukon Choir members attend UNI Vocal Arts Festival ...

For over a decade, the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) in Cedar Falls has hosted thousands of young singers from across the state, providing an environment to meet other vocalists and experience making music together at its Vocal Arts Festival (VAF). Offering programs for students and conductors alike, the VAF seeks to provide an outstanding performance opportunity, positive atmosphere, and foster relationships between singers and ensembles. In addition, students have the opportunity to take voice lessons from the UNI Voice Faculty, and scholarships may be awarded to study voice at the UNI School of Music as a Music major.

October 1-2, students from Waukon High School had the opportunity to be a part of a very select musical group of 300 of the best voices from schools across Iowa and from the surrounding states. They rehearsed and performed the highest level of appropriate choral literature as some of them prepare the same music for All-State auditions taking place in late October. They got the opportunity to hear the UNI Choral Ensembles performing choral works for all genres. Annie Ellingson, Waukon High School junior, took a private voice lesson with the UNI Voice Faculty and may audition to perform as a soloist at the Vocal Arts Festival Grand Finale Concert next year. Students at Waukon High School are under the direction of Grades 6-12 Vocal Music Teacher Sarah J. Bieber.

Pictured above at the Festival are: Left to right - Front row: Annie Ellingson, Kylie Strittmater, Madi Dahlstrom, Trinity Protsman; Back row: Eireann Goettel, Haylee Jeglum, Halea Corwin. Submitted photo.