The 65th All-State Band Concert will take place at the Lorang Theater of O’Gorman High School on Saturday March 28, 2015 in Sioux Falls.
Students began the audition process for All-State Band in January. The audition process included a written examine of music terminology, musical scales, a rehearsed solo, and sight-reading.
This years concert will feature two guest conductors. Dr. James M. Bankhead will conduct the Clark Band and Dr. Richard Mark Heidel will conduct the Lewis Band.
Richard Mark Heidel is Director of Bands in the School of Music at The University of Iowa where he conducts the Symphony Band, teaches graduate courses in conducting and wind band literature, guides the graduate band conducting program, and oversees the University of Iowa band program.
Ensembles under Dr. Heidel’s direction have performed at state, regional, and national conferences including those of the College Band Directors National Association, Music Educators National Conference, Wisconsin Music Educators Association, Illinois Music Educators Association, National Band Association-Wisconsin Chapter, and Iowa Bandmasters Association. He has also led concert tours to Ireland and England as well as throughout the Midwest.
Dr. James M. Bankhead became the Music Department Head at Utah State University July 1, 2011. He was previously Director, School of Music at Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas.
Before going to Sam Houston State in 2006, he was the Chair, Music Department at California State University, Chico 1994-2006. In addition to his administrative leadership, he was director of bands, master’s degree advisor and conductor of the Opera Workshop orchestra. He was principal guest conductor of the Shasta Symphony Orchestra in Redding, CA, and he is a frequent guest conductor, clinician and music specialist at music events throughout the country.
James Weaver with the South Dakota High School Activities Association said everyone is extremely excited with both guest conductors. He said Saturday will be a truly memorable night for everyone involved.
“We’re expecting anywhere between 700 to 900 people on Saturday night, and those in attendance will experience some of the greatest high school musicians in the state,” said Weaver. “The students at the event were decided during six audition periods throughout the state this winter, we’re truly going to get the best of the best.”
Weaver said all the students participating in all-state band received their concert music in February, so they could start preparing for their performance.
Students will begin group rehearsals Thursday night at O’Gorman with both bands. Rehearsals will continue all day on Friday and then part of the day on Saturday (before the concert).
Tickets will be available at 3 pm CT on Saturday at the Lorang Theater box office at O’Gorman High School in Sioux Falls.
The concert will begin at 7 pm CT on Saturday, but it will also be live streamed online here. On Saturday April 18 at 8 pm CT, the concert will be replayed via television on SDPB-TV.
