The Northeast Singers Express, an audition swing choir directed and accompanied by Margaret Schultz, Northeast music instructor, will perform at 13 high schools in Nebraska and South Dakota during its annual Spring Tour.
Schultz said the group is happy to perform on the road again.
“We are so excited for our show and share the music with schools in northeast and eastern Nebraska and South Dakota after COVID,” she said. “The work involved in expanding our musicianship has been a lot of fun. We prepared our rendition of pieces, from some notable productions and artists, and there was a little something for everyone.”
The show choir program features a wide variety of music featuring several different styles and decades. Selections include, “This is Me,” from The Greatest Showman, “Haven’t Met You Yet,” by Michael Buble’, “Jolene,” by Dolly Parton, “Seasons of Love,” from Rent, “Try Everything,” from Zootopia, “Green Eggs & Ham,” from Seussical the Musical, “Be a Light,” by Rhett Atkins, “Larger Than Life,” by Pinkzebra, and “I’m Still Standing,” by Elton John.
Kevin McLouth, music instructor and director of instrumental activities at Northeast, is director of the College’s Jazz Machine. He said the group’s program includes several styles of Samba, Bossa, Blues, Funk, and Shuffle. In addition, several soloists are featured during the program at an additional 13 high schools.
“It’s always great to get the students out and perform for people,” McLouth said. “They’ve been working hard and it’s always great for them to show that hard work to other people.”
Members of the Singer’s Express include:
Chelsea, Iowa – Hannah Vokoun.
Gladstone – Shelby Klaumann.
Norfolk – Destiny Holland, Maya Marfileno, Kellan Sager, Rhiannon Van Fleet.
Palmer – Reilly Donscheski.
Wahoo – Parker Barnes.
Members of the Jazz Machine include:
Ashland – Micah Judds (Bass).
Battle Creek – Hannah Maslonka (Trombone).
Ceresco – Hunter Celesky. (Drums)
Chadron – Gabe Ramos (Trumpet).
Creighton – Emily Carstens (Drums).
Gayville, So. Dak. – James Schoenberner (Trombone).
Lincoln – Ethan McCorkle-Deiken (Guitar), Anthony Strizek (Guitar).
Norfolk – Guillermo Mendez, (Trumpet), Cayden O’Brien, (Trumpet), Clint Oldehoeft (Trombone), Allison Wisnieski (Trumpet).
Ponca – Nate Ruhrer (Saxophone).
Randolph – Alex Heiman (Saxophone).
Verdigre – Serina Babcock, (Saxophone), Alli Kotrous (Saxophone), Dominic Pavlik (Trumpet).
The Singers Express opened the tour on Tue., April 19 in Atkinson, Madison and Tilden. The group performed in Leigh, Howells and Oakland on Wed., April 20; Summerland, St., Mary’s in O’Neill and Stuart, on Thur., April 21; and Tripp So. Dak., Avon, So. Dak., and Armour So. Dak., on Fri. April 21. The tour has one additional stop in Palmer on Mon., May 2.
The Jazz Machine’s schedule began Tue., April 19, in Osmond, Wausa and Creighton. It moved to Scotland, So. Dak, Menno, So. Dak. and Centerville, So. Dak. on Wed., April 20; North Bend and Columbus on Thur., April 21; and David City, Brainerd and Wahoo on Fri., April 21. The Jazz Machine concludes its tour on Mon., May 2, in Verdigre and Chambers.
The public is also invited to hear both groups perform in a Post Tour Concert as part of their “final exam” on Sun., May 1, at 2 p.m., in the Lifelong Learning Center on the Norfolk campus.
--###--