High school choir members from across eastern Iowa filled Neumann Auditorium at Wartburg College on the evening of Jan. 24 for the annual Meistersinger Honor Choir Festival. In attendance representing Gladbrook-Reinbeck were Brandon Strohbehn, Wesley Latchman, Vanessa Arvizu-Ersland and Nattalee Brinkman. – Contributed photo

Gladbrook-Reinbeck was well represented last week among the ranks of eastern Iowa’s top high school choral singers at the Meistersinger Honor Choir Festival.

G-R choir members attending the honor festival included Brandon Strohbehn, Wesley Latchman, Vanessa Arvizu-Ersland and Nattalee Brinkman.

The festival was held on Jan. 24 on the campus of Wartburg College.

The day-long festival is designed to bring together high school choral singers from across the Cedar Valley to collaborate with world-class artists and perform their music with the highest level of artistry.

Students are nominated by their high school directors and spend the day working with guest artists and ensembles. In addition to interacting with special guests, the honor choir participants meet with Wartburg vocal music faculty members Dr. Lee Nelson, Dr. Nicki Toliver, and Wartburg students to learn more about possible music opportunities after high school.

The featured director for the 2022 festival was Dr. André Thomas. Thomas is the recently retired Owen F. Sellers Professor of Music, Director of Choral Activities, and Professor of Choral Music Education at Florida State University. He was appointed Yale University Professor of Choral Conducting and Interim conductor of the Yale Camerata ensemble for 2020-2021.