Poster Craig Kirchhoff
Craig Kirchhoff
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School Spotlight: MMEA All-State Ensembles Edition

First Suite for Military Band 3
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First Suite for Military Band 2
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First Suite for Military Band 1
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Sheltering Sky

Minnesota has one of the oldest and most substantial All-State ensemble programs in the country. Since 1944, Minnesota Music Educators Association has been developing the finest musicians and leaders among Minnesota's most accomplished high school students. As a special week-long MMEA edition of School Spotlight, Classical MPR is broadcasting and streaming highlights from the MMEA All-State ensembles, recorded in August 2014.

Tune in at 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb 19: Concert Band conducted by Craig Kirchhoff of the University of Minnesota.

As an institution, MMEA works to ensure high-quality music education for every student in Minnesota. This is achieved through professional development for music educators, advocacy for music and the arts in schools and festivals and honors ensembles for students in school music programs. The All-State ensembles give high school students the chance to experience a formal audition and an intensive music experience in the form of camp in August and then performances in August and February at MMEA conventions.

Notable leaders of past MMEA all-state ensembles include Antal Dorati, Weston Noble, Dale Warland, Miles ("Mity") Johnson, Paul Christiansen, Frank Bencriscutto, Henry Charles Smith and others.

The selection process:

School music teachers or private teachers first nominate a student. Judges travel to 18 locations around the state to hear auditions of solos, etudes, scales, sight-reading and other skills. Finally, MMEA leadership comes together on "Draft Day" to select student musicians.

Selected students attend a week-long summer camp, during which they rehearse in their respective ensembles. Experts on each instrument or voice type work with students in sectionals, and provide individual instruction on advanced methods. Included in the camp, MMEA provides seminars for students on topics from music careers to college admissions and auditions and music in adult life.

These recordings represent the best of our Minnesota school music programs. Listen for yourself and find out what amazing talent these students bring to this performance.

Tune in all week at 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. for new performances from the All-State ensembles.

Monday, Feb. 16: Orchestra, under the direction of Anthony Elliott, Dexter Community Orchestra and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

  • 7:30 a.m. — Richard Wagner: Prelude to Die Meistersinger

  • 7:30 p.m. — Piotr Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet Fantasy

Tuesday, Feb. 17: Symphonic Band, under the direction of Scott Hagen, University of Utah School of Music.

  • 7:30 a.m. — John Philip Sousa: Black Horse Troop March

  1. 7:30 p.m. — Carter Pann: Hold This Boy and Listen

Wednesday, Feb. 18: Women's Choir under the direction of Dr. Mary Kay Geston of the Great River Chorale and Concordia University, and Men's Choir, directed by Jonathan Reed of Michigan State University.

  • 7:30 a.m. — Arr. Stephen Hatfield: First to Know [WOMEN]

  • 7:30 a.m. — Ludovico Viadana: O Sacrum Convivium [MEN]

  • 7:30 p.m. — Stephan Chatman: Reconciliation [MEN]

  • 7:30 p.m. — Jake Runestad: Sing, Wearing the Sky (Commissioned by MMEa nda ACDA-MN) [WOMEN]

Thursday, Feb. 19: Concert Band, under the direction of Craig Kirchhoff, University of Minnesota Director of University Bands.

  • 7:30 a.m. — John Mackey: Sheltering Sky

  • 7:30 p.m. — Gustav Holst: First Suite in E-flat for Military Band

Friday, Feb. 20: Mixed Choir, under the direction of Dr. Brad Holmes of Millikin University.

  • 7:30 a.m. — Sergei Rachmaninoff: Come, Let Us Worship

  • 7:30 p.m. — W.A. Mozart: Misericordias Domini

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