Wa-Hi Choir singers take first place at prestigious festival

Wa-Hi Choir singers take first place at prestigious festival
Walla Walla High School’s Chamber Singers and Treble Ensemble earned first place divisional honors at the Columbia Basin College Choral Festival. Choirs from across the Northwest participate in this event every year, according to Choral Director Norb Rossi.

“A handful of choirs are selected by the adjudicators each year to perform in the Honors Showcase Concert that evening,” said Rossi. “Both groups were asked to perform in that event for the second year in a row. They were lauded for their expressive performances.”

The Chamber Singers performed a varied program of literature which included “All Ye Who Music Love,” “Two Love Songs,” “A Boy and a Girl” by Eric Whitacre, and “Ain-a that Good News.” They were competing in the Mixed Choir Division. Members of the group include: Michael Anderson, Matt Bowler, Connor Christensen, Gabriel Cruz, John Gossett, Courtney Griggs, Olivia Hemenway, Cougar Henderson, Elena Janis, Mary Beth Jones, Nathan Loomer, Jaime Quaresma, Doug Rowley, Daisy Schoen, Hirut Senter, Isaiah Stodola, Christina Swanson, Belle Taylor, Piper Titus,
Lauren Wardwell.

The Treble Ensemble took first place in the Non-Mixed Division for the third year in a row. They performed “How Can I Keep from Singing,” “Nigra Sum” by Pablo Casals, and “All the Little Rivers of Canada” by Canadian composer Larry Nickel. Members of Treble include Anna Apostolidis, Maggie Buob, Bailee Butler, Kaitlin Calhoun, Addy Clark, Alandra Dalan, Romey Drabek, Madison Garrett, Sarah Gibbs, Talia Grandstaff, Lauren Hall, Amelia Hemenway, Brelynn Hess, Sabrina Keenan, Rochelle Kralman, Cady Luxton, Hannah Mitchell, Malyn Osborn, Liya Senter, Aubrey Sinden, Kylee Wagner, Katie Wenzel.