Six students from Edon Northwest Local Schools participated in the Toledo Choral Music Department’s 2017 High School Honor Choir held Saturday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m.
Performing that evening at Doerrman Theatre on the University of Toledo Campus were Melody Nofziger, Tamara Mills, Desi Bohn, Kayla Kurtz, Darius Kurtz and Hunter Hodapp.
Demonstrating excellence in choral music, these highly responsible and enthusiastic students were selected to work with Dr. Brad Pierson, Director of Choral Activities at UT, as well as college music students, during an all-day rehearsal of four selected pieces of music. They also had the unique experience of working with composer Jake Runestad who rehearsed the students on two of his published compositions.
Additionally throughout the day, Mr. Runestad and the honors choir singers composed a piece of music on the spot for performance and gave the composition its world premier later that evening at the concert.
Jake Runestad is an award-winning and frequently-performed composer of “highly imaginative” (Baltimore Sun) and “stirring and uplifting” (Miami Herald) musical works. He has received commissions and performances from leading ensembles and organizations such as Washington National Opera, the Netherlands Radio Choir, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, the Virginia Arts Festival, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Seraphic Fire, Craig Hella Johnson and Conspirare, and many more.
Jake’s visceral music and charismatic personality have fostered a busy schedule of commissions, residencies, workshops, and speaking engagements, enabling him to be one of the youngest full-time composers in the world. Jake holds a Master’s degree in composition from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University where he studied with Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts. He’s also studied extensively with acclaimed composer Libby Larsen. A native of Rockford, IL, Mr. Runestad is currently based in Minneapolis, MN and his music is published by JR Music.
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