140 Dixon student singers fill Choir Fest stage for ‘Tshotsholoza’

DIXON — The 140 students of the combined choirs of Dixon Public Schools filled the stage at Wiltz Auditorium from one wing to the other for the finale of Choir Fest on Friday night.

If the choirs keep growing, organizers will have to get innovative with staging.

Fifth-graders stood beside middle schoolers and their mentors from the high school to sing the uplifting South African freedom song “Tshotsholoza” as the closing number.

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The combined choirs of Madison, Reagan and Dixon schools perform the South African freedom song "Tschotsholoza" on Friday, March 3, 2023, at Wiltz Auditorium. About 600 people attended the performance. (Troy Taylor)

High school instructor Erin Rogers directed the combined choir while Madison’s Sarah Purlee and Reagan’s Ashley Almquist provided percussion accompaniment.

A trio of Owen Winters, Reign Bonnewell and Olivia Hernandez were featured in the number.

There were about 600 in attendance for the concert.

The youngest students spent the day learning the piece. They were organized in groups based on their vocal parts, each section led by high schoolers. After a short rehearsal, the choirs were ready for the evening’s performance.

Fifth graders performed “Wind on the Hill” and “Firefly.” Middle schoolers performed “Listen to the Rain” in which they snapped fingers to mimic the pitter-patter of rain.

Featured performers during the piece were Melanie Gurney, Olivia Hintz, Skyli Kanzler, Lane Longtin, Kelsie Lugwig, Finley Morgan, Hailey Phillips, Koko Ugalde and Emily Wendt.

Dixon High School’s concert choir performed “Dona Nobis Pacem” with Jazmine Forst, Zoey Varga and Micah Kutz were the soloists.

The high school honors choir performed “Wanting Memories.”

The combined choirs of the high school sang “Wade in the Water” with a series of solos by Sarah Larimore, Aryana Collins, Oliver Payne and Hernandez.