March is off to a rousing start

"That was so fun!" "You have a beautiful voice" "Great job, singers!" Those were some of the remarks overhead in the mass choir assembled at the front of Lourdes Chapel Saturday night at the close of our inaugural high school choral festival, Singing for Life. The finale concert started with three wonderfully prepared and performed sets by our participating choirs - Lewiston-Altura, Pine Island and Kasson-Mantorville. Choral Arts Ensemble did a preview of some choruses from our upcoming Messiah concert series, and then three high school choirs quickly and efficiently merged with our singers into a joyous multitude to wow the crowd with Mozart's gorgeous Ave Verum motet and Handel's rousing Hallelujah chorus. Our fine professional orchestra was in no danger of overbalancing the singers, and so the players' prodigious talents were also on display. If you missed it this time, you'll want to watch for announcements next season about the second annual festival. Because we are doing this again.