This article is from the EMU News Archive. Current EMU new is available at www.emu.edu/news

International Choral Festival Held on Campus

Some 540 high school students representing 16 choirs across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico joined in a grand finale under the baton of guest conductor David L. Brunner of Orlando, Fla.

The program was part of the 42nd annual Mennonite High School Choral Festival Apr. 16-18 hosted by Eastern Mennonite High School.

Public concerts held 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Apr. 18 in the University Commons at Eastern Mennonite University showcased individual choirs and the mass choir.

"It's the only event of its kind in the country," said EMHS choir director Jay Hartzler. "There are all-state choirs, auditioned groups of students from schools, and other large gatherings of high school singers, "but a festival of this magnitude - with the number and size of choirs coming together for this many years — it doesn't happen anywhere else.

"It's a festive atmosphere," Hartzler said. "They're a very talented group of singers. It's fun to get together and renew acquaintances."

Students aren't the only ones having fun. Hartzler said he enjoys the camaraderie of other directors and their performances as well.

The festival provided a common ground for diverse Mennonite choirs and differing music styles. The Philadelphia Mennonite School choir sang primarily black gospel music, while singers from Academia Menonita in San Juan, P.R. offered music in the Caribbean tradition. Other choirs — from Florida, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana and Ontario - presented music from traditional sacred to contemporary Christian gospel.

For 42 years, festival highlights have included "the seasoned guest directors and the quality and variety of music performed by the mass choir," according to Hartzler. A number of top choir directors in the country have been guest conductors over the years, including Alice Parker, Eph Ely, Charles Hurt, Howard Schwan, Mary Oyer and Kenneth Nafziger.

This year's guest conductor, Dr. David L. Brunner, is professor of music and director of choral activities at the University of Central Florida, where he conducts the University Chorus and Madrigal Singers. He has been composer-in-residence at the Summer Arts Institute of the University of Michigan and the Choral Music Experience Institute for Teaching training at Northern Illinois University, and his compositions have merited ASCAP awards numerous years.

In addition to the quality music performed, the mass choir fosters interaction among students from across the Mennonite Church, Hartzler said, noting that most choirs sing in two to seven churches during their travel to and from the festival. During the festival, choirs are hosted by area churches who provide lodging and food. The choirs sing during the Sunday morning worship service of their host churches.

The students also had access to the recreational facilities of the spacious University Commons during the weekend, ate their Saturday evening meal in the university dining hall and received campus tours.

From its beginning in 1962 with 200 students, the festival has grown in size and tradition. Individual schools host the event approximately one time every 10-11 years, with the exception of schools too small or at too great a distance.

Iowa Mennonite School will host next year's festival.

"The music festival is a well-kept secret," Hartzler said. "Many people don't know about it. Music is an important part of the Mennonite Church and [the students] are helping to keep the tradition alive."

— article by: Jim Bishop; posted April 19, 2004