By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
Dowagiac Union Schools Fine Arts Department hosts a choral festival featuring the South Bend, Ind., Vesper Chorale on Saturday, Nov. 11, Superintendent Peg Stowers announced Monday night.
She said the festival will feature all of the district's vocal performing groups, including the elementary special choruses and the middle and high school choruses.
"We are also honored to have the South Bend Vesper Chorale, directed by Dr. Wishart Bell, performing that evening," Stowers said. "Vesper Chorale is becoming a nationally-recognized musical arts organization by engaging its audience through diverse repertoire, multiple ensembles, concerts and educational programs. Their mission is not only to perform choral music, but also to educate and inspire."
Bell will visit Dowagiac choral groups during rehearsal times to work with students.
A select group of students will actually get the opportunity to perform several pieces with Vesper Chorale.
The Children's Choir of Michiana, a sub group of Vesper Chorale, will also be performing Nov. 11.
That group is composed of Michiana children, including Dowagiac, in grades 4-8.
"This is going to be an outstanding musical experience for our students and for the community of Dowagiac," Stowers said.
The choral festival will take place at the Performing Arts Center in Dowagiac Middle School at 7 p.m. Nov. 11.
"We are blessed with a Fine Arts Department that has gone above and beyond its normal routine," Stowers said. "Last year we opened (the new middle school and its Performing Arts Center) with several celebrations so the community could enjoy the facility. It wrote a grant to do that again this year. It's an opportunity to use our facility, an opportunity for our community to see an absolutely outstanding choir and a very excellent opportunity for our young people."