Student Sing Festival Concerts Feb. 28 and March 1 at UW

The University of Wyoming Department of Music choral studies area will host “Cowboys, Sing On!,” a festival open to all choral students in the seventh through 12th grades, Friday, Feb. 28, and Saturday, March 1.

Participants for the two-day festival will have the opportunity to sing with UW choirs; enhance music literacy skills; improve vocal technique; make friends from other schools; and perform on the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts concert hall stage.

A free public Showcase Performance will be held Friday, Feb. 28, at 7:30 p.m. in the concert hall.

The concert will feature Laramie Civic Chorus, conducted by UW Department of faculty member O’Neil Jones, with Francine Cancian, piano; Laramie Children’s Chorus, directed by Allison Murray and Beth Kean, with Michael Lechner, piano; and UW Collegiate Chorale, conducted by UW music faculty member Brian Murray, with guest conductors Emily Peterson and Michael Lechner, and Allisson Garcia, piano.

Featured performers include Lauren Lestage, soprano; Magdalena Wór, mezzo-soprano; Erik Erlandson, baritone; David Plank, organ; Katherine Lechner, flute; Giovanna Volpi Smeiske, violin; Michael Vitanza, violin; Kiara Sheffield, cello; and Valentina Gavrilova, organ.

The free public Festival Performance, featuring festival participants and UW choirs, will be held Saturday, March 1, at 3 p.m. in the concert hall.

The concert will include the Happy Jacks; the Singing Statesmen, conducted by Murray and guest conductor Peterson, with Garcia, piano; the Festival Tenor Bass Singers, conducted by Murray, with Garcia, piano; 7220 Blues, with Brynley LaChance, student director, and Bryn Catlin, piano; Bel Canto, conducted by Jones and guest conductor Peterson, with Renato da Silva, piano; Festival Treble Singers, conducted by Jones, with da Silva, piano; and the Combined Festival Singers, conducted by Murray, with Garcia, piano.

Featured performers include Diego Frometa-Batezini, tenor; Soyeon Kang, piano; and Peterson, percussion.

For more information, call Kathy Kirkaldie, UW Fine Arts coordinator, at (307) 766-2160 or email kirisk@uwyo.edu.