MUSIC SHORTS
BHS choir earns top honors at fest
The Brainerd High School A Cappella Choir took first place at the Choirs of Note Festival and Competition April 19-21 at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall.
BHS earned a $5,000 award to be used at the discretion of the choir for any music student going to SMSU.
Dale Warland, founder of the Dale Warland Singers in Minneapolis, was the clinician for the choir. The judges were Jonathan Talberg from Southern California State-Long Beach, Robert Harris from Northwestern University and Jeffrey Douma from Yale.
Aitkin pop concert program announced
AITKIN - The Aitkin High School Concert Choir will present its 40th annual Pop Concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the high school auditorium. The program will also feature the Fists of Fury Handbell Choir, seven senior soloists, duets, trios and the Madrigal Singers.
Admission is $3.
The Brainerd High School A Cappella Choir, pictured with director Brian Stubbs (center left) and Maestro Dale Warland (center right), performed last month at Southwest Minnesota State University.
Kelly Blake will direct the handbell choir and Bryan Johnson will direct the Concert Choir and the solos and ensembles.
Opening the program will be the Fists of Fury performing "The Bells of Notre Dame" from Disney's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and the theme from "Pirates of the Caribbean."
The solo/ensemble portion of the concert will include:
Sophomore Girls Trio, "Let It Be" by the Beatles.
Megan Duffney and Annah Fairchild, "The River" by Garth Brooks.
Madrigal Singers, "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" by Diana Ross.
Duet, "Feels Like Home" by Randy Newman.
Derek Ruis, "What's Left of Me" by Nick Lachey.
Junior Girls Trio, "Dancing Queen" by ABBA.
Molly Burman and Bethany Palkie, the Sheryl Crow version of "The First Cut is the Deepest."
Erik Heimark, "Walking on Sunshine."
Katie Olson and John Panchyshyn, "When You Say Nothing At All."
Greg Eno, "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" by Elton John.
Aslyn Blake and Ruis, "Perhaps Love" by John Denver.
Heimark and Jeff Moe, "Side By Side" by Harry Woods.
Panchyshyn, "Home" by Michael Buble.
Bethany Palkie and Abby Palkie, "Incomplete" by the Backstreet Boys.
Kaisa Anderson and Eno, "I Want to Spend My Lifetime Loving You" by James Horner.
Senior Boys Trio, "Roll To Me" by Del Amitri.
The Concert Choir will perform a choreographed version of Dwight Yoakam's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"; "Didn't We" by Jimmy Webb; "Under the Boardwalk," originally made popular by Bette Midler; and "Ai Laure Lantar (To Live is to Die)," written by senior Panchyshyn and based on "The Lord of the Rings."
The choir will continue with "Shine," written by Rick Fante for the movie "Robots," with dance moves by seniors Tricia Betley and Alanna Tibbetts; "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Paul Simon; and "Don't Stop" by Fleetwood Mac.
Johnson will then give awards to outstanding seniors in the choir and a special award to the choir's choreographer for the past 20 years, Beth Norris Brennan.
The concert will conclude with "Corner of the Sky" from the musical "Pippin."
The accompanist for the choir will be Marlene Turner and the drums will be played by Bob Lake.
Writers in the Round slated at The E
Writers in the Round, featuring Eric Addington, Darrin Wentz, Donny Vosen and Keith Axtman, will be at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Eclectic Cafe in downtown Brainerd.
Admission is $5.
The musicians will perform their original songs and tell the stories behind them.
For more information, visit www.writersintheround.net.
Melby retirement open house planned
NISSWA - An open house for Brainerd High School band director Paul Melby's retirement will be from 1-4 p.m. May 19 at Lutheran Church of the Cross in Nisswa.
Alumni, friends and the public are welcome.
Halfway Jam scheduled near Royalton
ROYALTON - The lineup for Halfway Jam 2007, scheduled for July 26-28 near Royalton, has been announced. The classic rock festival, located "halfway between the Twin Cities and the North Country," will be on two stages located near Royalton.
Headliners will be Ted Nugent, The Guess Who, Night Ranger, Quiet Riot, Starship starring Mickey Thomas and the Classic Rock All Stars.
Camping will be available.
For ticket information, visit www.halfwayjam.com.