The Southeast Honor Music Festival for choir and concert band will be held in Haines this year beginning Oct. 21. It culminates with a concert 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23 at the Chilkat Center.
Haines School music director Kristina Mulready said 70 choir members and 60 concert band members from the region’s high schools will meet with guest directors for two and a half days of intensive practices preparing for the concert.
Retired high school choir director John Baker will lead the choral performers. Baker led the choir program at Rex Putnam High School in Oregon for 32 years and travels as a choir retreat specialist. Haines singers selected for honor choir are Brandon Bachman, Jess Giddings, Neil Little, Lindsey Jobbins, Alicia Young and Karissa Land.
Willamette University’s Grant Linsell will lead the concert band. Tia Heywood, on trombone, will represent Haines.
Mulready said students auditioned for placement in the honor festival with a prepared audition recording. School music directors from the region met to judge and select performers based on submissions.
Students from the region arrive at noon Sunday, and begin practices immediately. Rehearsals continue at the school Monday and Tuesday.
More than 125 students and teachers will travel to Haines for the festival. Organizers are recruiting volunteers to provide housing. Call activities director Tiana Taylor at 766-6700, extension #1, to help house musicians.
Tuesday’s concert is open to the public. Tickets are $5. Mulready expects the performance to be “a lot of fun. There are very lovely selections from the band and choir.”