Welcome to the blog page of the Brandon Valley Choirs. This site is to inform choir members and their families of the choir events throughout the year. Links on the right side of this page can direct you to more detailed information on different topics as the year goes by.
HERE are a few of the topics keeping us busy at the northwest corner of the building...
Our annual frozen cookie dough sale fundraiser continues until September 12. This is entirely optional; all proceeds go to individual student accounts, and are used for the choirs' June 2018 trip to central Florida.
The choirs' FALL CONCERT is Monday, October 17. For those new to BVHS (and a reminder to those who are not), please review the concert dress code in the CHOIR SYLLABUS at the right. Most important: boys wear BLACK socks, dress shoes, and dress pants; girls need solid black, closed-toe flat or low-heel shoes.
See the posts below --and the links to the right-- for more information regarding auditions for All-State Chorus and ACDA Honor Choir.
Sunday, September 4, 2016
SD All-State Chorus auditions Sept. 14
BVHS Concert Choir members are busy preparing for All-State Chorus auditions September 14.
FIVE quartets of singers will represent BVHS at All-State in Sioux Falls at the end of October.
For more information, see the All-State audition help page at the right.
FIVE quartets of singers will represent BVHS at All-State in Sioux Falls at the end of October.
For more information, see the All-State audition help page at the right.
HONOR CHOIR Auditions
For the highly-motivated singers at BVHS, there are Honor Choir audition opportunities this month. These choirs are all sponsored by the American Choral Directors Association, either at the state or national level.
The annual SD ACDA Junior Honor Choir for grades 7, 8, and 9 will be held in Sioux Falls January 18-19.
The biennial national convention of the ACDA will be in Kansas City February 27-March 2, and will include Honor Choirs for elementary, middle school, and high school singers.
MORE INFORMATION on these honor choirs can be found on the SD or NATIONAL honor choir pages at the right.
The annual SD ACDA Junior Honor Choir for grades 7, 8, and 9 will be held in Sioux Falls January 18-19.
The biennial national convention of the ACDA will be in Kansas City February 27-March 2, and will include Honor Choirs for elementary, middle school, and high school singers.
MORE INFORMATION on these honor choirs can be found on the SD or NATIONAL honor choir pages at the right.
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Next year's room...
Construction workers had the plywood panels temporarily removed from the choir room doorway, which allowed a sneak-peek at the new room... Paint on the walls, (some) carpet on the floor... Lookin' GREAT!
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Region 2 Large Group Contest
Brandon Valley High School will again host this year's Region 2 Large Group Choral and Band Contests Wednesday, April 13. Bands from BV, Sioux Falls, O'Gorman, and Brookings will perform in the BV PAC, while the Choral Contest will be held at Brandon Lutheran Church.
The Choral Contest will feature two dozen choirs performing throughout the day starting at 8 AM.
Each choir has a 20-minute window to perform for 3 adjudicators, and also receive a brief clinic from one of the judges.
Both contests are admission-free, and open to the public! Please, if you can, come and listen to the choirs sing!
Here are the BV Choir performance times:
Chamber Choir 8:15 Lynx Choir 3:05 Concert Choir 3:45
Participation in this contest is a required portion of a choir member's grade. Singers will need their concert blacks (boys- dress shoes, socks, dress pants; girls- flat or low-heel solid black closed-toe shoes), along with their assigned choir robes.
Because of the time frame of the BV performances, BV singers will be allowed to drive themselves, carpool, or even walk to Brandon Lutheran Church. We will dismiss choir members from periods 7 & 8 (1:35) in order to be able to hear a number of other choirs perform. There will not be a school bus for transporting BV students to/from the choir contest. Students will be responsible for getting their robe to the contest, and back to the robe closet in the choir room.
Please contact Mr. Gullickson with any questions.
The Choral Contest will feature two dozen choirs performing throughout the day starting at 8 AM.
Each choir has a 20-minute window to perform for 3 adjudicators, and also receive a brief clinic from one of the judges.
Both contests are admission-free, and open to the public! Please, if you can, come and listen to the choirs sing!
Here are the BV Choir performance times:
Chamber Choir 8:15 Lynx Choir 3:05 Concert Choir 3:45
Participation in this contest is a required portion of a choir member's grade. Singers will need their concert blacks (boys- dress shoes, socks, dress pants; girls- flat or low-heel solid black closed-toe shoes), along with their assigned choir robes.
Because of the time frame of the BV performances, BV singers will be allowed to drive themselves, carpool, or even walk to Brandon Lutheran Church. We will dismiss choir members from periods 7 & 8 (1:35) in order to be able to hear a number of other choirs perform. There will not be a school bus for transporting BV students to/from the choir contest. Students will be responsible for getting their robe to the contest, and back to the robe closet in the choir room.
Please contact Mr. Gullickson with any questions.
Region 2 Solo Contest
Congratulations to members of the BVHS Concert Choir and Lynx Choir who participated in the March 23 SDHSAA Region 2 Solo/Ensemble Contest at Augustana College.
The singers had been preparing solo and ensemble pieces since January. Each singer performed for an adjudicator, and received written comments, numerical scoring, and brief one-on-one verbal comments.
Seventeen singers received a Superior Rating for their solos: seniors Isaiah Dietz, Brad Gingles, Braden Paulsen, Kirstyn Polasky, Katie Wright, juniors Mason Blue, Johnny Hoffmann, Alexa Hokenstad, Naufal Riandi, sophomores Autumn Driscoll, Marshall Elkin, Lauryn VanRegenmorter, and freshmen Colton Bulte, Olyvia Feifarek, Morgan McKellep, Hayley Vogel, Emili Widrig. Junior Andrea Poole and sophomore Erika Christopherson each received an Excellent Rating.
Four ensembles received Superiors-- Girls Duet: Alexa Hokenstad and Elizabeth Schumacher, Girls Trio: Sheila Coyle, Issy DeWitt, Emma Eichelberg, Boys Quartet: Isaiah Dietz, Johnny Hoffmann, Anthony Klinner, Jonas Kulzer, Boys Ensemble: Dietz, Hoffmann, Klinner, Kulzer, Brad Gingles, Braden Paulsen, Naufal Riandi, Chase Kunkel, and Keaton Reindl. Lauren Blue and Kayla Moss received an Excellent Rating for their duet.
Four ensembles received Superiors-- Girls Duet: Alexa Hokenstad and Elizabeth Schumacher, Girls Trio: Sheila Coyle, Issy DeWitt, Emma Eichelberg, Boys Quartet: Isaiah Dietz, Johnny Hoffmann, Anthony Klinner, Jonas Kulzer, Boys Ensemble: Dietz, Hoffmann, Klinner, Kulzer, Brad Gingles, Braden Paulsen, Naufal Riandi, Chase Kunkel, and Keaton Reindl. Lauren Blue and Kayla Moss received an Excellent Rating for their duet.
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Concert Choir to perform at SDSU
On Thursday, February 11, the Brandon Valley Concert Choir will perform in concert for the 2016 South Dakota In-Service Music Conference.
The annual state conference for music educators is hosted by the South Dakota State University Music Department. This is the fourth time that the BV Choir has been invited to perform at the conference. The concert will be a part of the 48th Annual Choral Day activities on Thursday, February 11, 9:30 AM, at the SDSU Performing Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public. Parents-- if your schedule allows, we would love to have you in the audience!
VERY IMPORTANT -- Choir members will need to be at BVHS by 7:15 AM to get robes, load buses, and get to Brookings in time for an 8:30 rehearsal on the PAC stage. We will be back to BVHS in time for most --if not all-- of 5th period.
Check HERE for more information from SDSU regarding the Music Conference.
The annual state conference for music educators is hosted by the South Dakota State University Music Department. This is the fourth time that the BV Choir has been invited to perform at the conference. The concert will be a part of the 48th Annual Choral Day activities on Thursday, February 11, 9:30 AM, at the SDSU Performing Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public. Parents-- if your schedule allows, we would love to have you in the audience!
VERY IMPORTANT -- Choir members will need to be at BVHS by 7:15 AM to get robes, load buses, and get to Brookings in time for an 8:30 rehearsal on the PAC stage. We will be back to BVHS in time for most --if not all-- of 5th period.
Check HERE for more information from SDSU regarding the Music Conference.
North Central ACDA Honor Choirs
Congratulations to two BV singers who will be performing
with Honor Choirs at the North Central American Choral Directors Association
convention in Sioux Falls February 18-20.
BVHS sophomore Autumn Driscoll will be singing in the HS Mixed Honor
Choir, and BVMS 7th grader Olivia Kern will be in the Middle Level
Girls Honor Choir.
Both girls were among students from six states who submitted
recorded auditions for four different youth honor choirs which will perform on
the convention program at the Washington Pavilion.
Choral directors from the Dakotas, Nebraska, Minnesota,
Iowa, and Wisconsin will convene in Sioux Falls Feb 17-20. The conference will feature interest
sessions, performances from invited choirs of all ages, headliner concerts by
nationally renowned choral groups, a combined choral/orchestral performance of Verdi’s
Requiem with the SD Symphony, and the Honor Choir concerts.
More information about the honor choirs, and about the NC-ACDA conference can be found HERE.
New semester, new possibilities...
...just like the renewal of spring... which IS coming, eventually.
In the meantime, there are opportunities for BV choir members to get involved, make friends, sing more, sing better, and -best of all- make the dreary weeks of winter pass by more quickly.
Parents, please encourage your children to try something new this semester:
--Try-out for the Fine Arts Boosters Variety Show,
--Try-out for "The Music Man",
--Prepare a solo for the Region 2 Solo/Ensemble Contest
--Audition for SD Honor Choir
...ALL are marvelous opportunities for improving musicianship and self-confidence, as well as creating life-long amazing memories.
Please refer to the Calendar page at the right for details, and contact Mr. Gullickson with any questions.
In the meantime, there are opportunities for BV choir members to get involved, make friends, sing more, sing better, and -best of all- make the dreary weeks of winter pass by more quickly.
Parents, please encourage your children to try something new this semester:
--Try-out for the Fine Arts Boosters Variety Show,
--Try-out for "The Music Man",
--Prepare a solo for the Region 2 Solo/Ensemble Contest
--Audition for SD Honor Choir
...ALL are marvelous opportunities for improving musicianship and self-confidence, as well as creating life-long amazing memories.
Please refer to the Calendar page at the right for details, and contact Mr. Gullickson with any questions.
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