Pontiac students to perform at Olivet Nazarene University this weekend

Erich Murphy, Pontiac Daily Leader
·1 min read

Pontiac Township High School will be represented by 20 students at the Illinois Music Educators Association's District 3 Festival Chorus this weekend.

PTHS will be represented by these 20 students at the Illinois Music Educators Association's District 3 Festival Chorus this weekend at Olivet Nazarene University. The 20 students are, in front from left, Grasey Cool, Maddie Grampp, Emma Reichardt, Olivia Yedinak, Lucas Machroli, Isaac Yedinak, Kole Donze, Sam Murphy and Jaden Lucas. In back are Emma Gragert, Elena Krause, Devin Skrzypiec, Jaxen Paine, Daniel Bradshaw, Levi Rients, Elijah Hartke, Landen Wilson, Colin Kristich, Brett Blakeman and Jake Davis.

The concert will take place at Olivet Nazarene University's Centennial Chapel on Saturday, Nov. 18, at 4:30 p.m.

Choral Director Joseph Durbin said that 20 students from PTHS auditioned for the festival and that each one was selected. He noted that it was a “record showing.”

“I believe this is the most students ever selected from Pontiac Township High School for the District 3 Festival Chorus and is a reflection of their dedication and work ethic, Durbin said. “It is also is a testament to an administration who values the arts.

“From Principal (Eric) Bohm to Superintendent (Jon) Kilgore and the District 90 School Board, there is a tremendous level of support for the music program at PTHS.”

Durbin said that the PTHS students — Brett Blakeman, Daniel Bradshaw, Grasey Cool, Jake Davis, Kole Donze, Emma Gragert, Maddie Grampp, Elijah Hartke, Elena Krause, Colin Kristich, Jaden Lucas, Lucas Machroli, Sam Murphy, Jaxen Paine, Emma Reichardt, Levi Rients, Devin Skrzypiec, Landen Wilson, Isaac Yedinak and Olivia Yedinak — “completed against hundreds of other high school students from McLean, Livingston, Woodford, Ford, Kankakee, Iroquois, Vermillion, Champaign, Piatt and DeWitt counties.”

There were about 175 students selected for the festival chorus, Durbin said.

The students were required to sing two choral pieces and were judged on pitch accuracy, rhythm accuracy, intonation, diction, musicianship and tone quality. They were also required to sing various major and minor scales, as well as various triads to determine music literacy, Durbin said.

These 20 students are now eligible for spots in the ILMEA all-state chorus in January.

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Score of PTHS students to sing with IMEA District 3 Festival Chorus