Annual festival to bring over 900 high school singers to campus

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—The 77th annual Southwestern Michigan Vocal Festival, one of the largest, oldest and most successful high school choral festivals in the United States, will be held Thursday, March 18, in Western Michigan University's Miller Auditorium. This year’s festival will draw participants from 18 southwest Michigan high schools.

The daylong festival will culminate in a 7 p.m. concert, which is free and open to the public. Guest conductor Andrew Megill, director of choral activities at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, will lead the evening performance, which includes the 900-voice Festival Chorus as well as the select 64-member 2015 Honors Choir. A featured performance will also be given by WMU's University Chorale.

Andrew Megill

Andrew Megill is recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of his generation, known for his passionate artistry and wide-ranging repertoire, extending from early music to newly composed works. He currently leads three of North America's finest professional vocal ensembles: the Montreal Symphony Orchestra Chorus, the Carmel Bach Festival Chorale and Fuma Sacra.

Last year, Megill joined the faculty of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, School of Music as professor of conducting and director of choral activities. He has previously served as music director of the Masterwork Chorus and Orchestra, chorusmaster for the Spoleto Festival USA, and associate professor at Westminster Choir College.

He has been a guest conductor for the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, the Juilliard Opera Center, and Emmanuel Music in Boston.

Participating high schools

High schools qualified to participate in this year's festival and their directors are:

• Allegan, Rebecca Balkon.
• Berrien Springs, Carrie VanDenburgh.
• Brandywine, Denise Boger.
• Coloma, Rebecca Selvidge.
• Dowagiac Union, Jeff Robinson.
• Hastings, Matthew Callaghan.
• Hopkins, Jacob Oaster.
• Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, Julie Pelligrino.
• Kalamazoo Central, Theresa Williams-Johnson.
• Lansing Catholic Central, Jan Tietsort.
• Lawton, Gary Oegema.
• Niles, Matthew D. Hunckler.
• River Valley, Mary Lynn Edwards.
• Stevensville Lakeshore, Katherine Rohwer.
• Sturgis, Eric Cadena.
• Watervliet, Tami Brush.
• Wayland Union, Ricci Sabin.
• West Ottawa, Pamela Pierson.

Southwestern Michigan Vocal Festival

Since its inception in 1935, the Southwestern Michigan Vocal Festival has been dedicated to providing an experience in mass singing of good repertoire under the leadership of an inspiring conductor. Each year a noted guest conductor is invited to work with select students in a fall workshop and conduct the daylong festival in March.

For more information about the festival, visit wmich.edu/music/festivals/swmvf.

For more news, arts and events, visit wmich.edu/news.