WHS Musicians Attend Dorian Choir & Band Festivals – 2015
Top Whitehall musicians were selected to perform in the Dorian Choir & Band Festivals held this winter. This year marks the 67th year of this annual event held at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. It started in 1949, when Professor Weston Noble invited directors from just over 20 schools in the region to each bring a few selected band students to the Luther campus for a two-day honor band festival. The event was called the Dorian Band Festival, named for the Dorian Singing Society which had been formed at Luther shortly after the college was founded in 1861. A vocal festival was added in 1950, and the family of Dorian Festivals and Camps has been growing in scope and participation ever since. Well over 90,000 students have shared in a Dorian musical experience since the festivals were started.
The Dorian Vocal Festival was held January 12-13, 2015; Amanda Zimmerman, Sirena Dubiel, Courtney Sosalla and Ryan Haas were selected to participate. The event featured 1,125 students from other high schools in a final concert performed with noted soloists, and the Nordic Choir.
The Dorian Band Festival was held February 22-23, 2015; Emily Herness, Jada Schaub, Sirena Dubiel, Mikailah Lindberg, Molly Toraason, Amanda Zimmerman and Matt Lyga were selected to participate. Approximately 625 musicians participated in the Dorian Band Festival as part of three festival bands: two Festival Massed Bands and the select Festival Symphonic Band. Students are selected for these bands based on their solo/ensemble records, musical achievements, and their directors’ recommendation. The Symphonic Band consists of the 60-80 students who audition for chair placement upon their arrival at the Festival. Matt Lyga earned the privilege of qualifying for the Festival Symphonic Band. Congratulations to all of our musicians selected to these distinguished honors groups.