Hastings College to feature two world premieres, 119 high school students at annual honor festival

(Hastings, Nebraska) – Hastings College will hold its 62nd Annual Honor Band and 54th Annual Honor Choir concert on Monday, January 19, at 5:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Hastings (621 N Lincoln Avenue). The concert is free and open to the public, and will be livestreamed on the Hastings College YouTube channel.

The Hastings College Honor Band and Choir (HHBC) festival is the longest-running high school music honor ensembles sponsored by a college in Nebraska and features some of the best high school musical talent throughout the region. This year, 119 students were selected from Nebraska — with 68 selected to be part of the choir and 51 selected for band.

Student check-in for both ensembles is Sunday, January 18, with rehearsals happening until later on Monday when the groups move to the church to prepare for the concert.

The honor band is directed by Dr. Drew Dickey, director of athletic bands and assistant director of bands at the Texas Christian University School of Music. The choir is directed by Dr. Raoul Carlo (Miggi) F. Angangco, assistant professor of music and director of choral activities at Hastings College.

Among other works, the Honor Choir will be premiering pieces by two Hastings College graduates: “Alebrijes” by Hugo Madera ‘19, and “I Know…” by Hannah Jensen ‘15. Madera is a composer, conductor, educator and clinician, and director of the choral ensembles at Adams Central High School. Jensen-Heitmann is a composer, performer and educator, and executive director of the Hastings Community Music Academy.

Students selected for this year’s Hastings College Honor Band and Choir are listed below high school.

Adams Central
Greeley Fitzke, band
Jensen Gangwish, choir
Grayson Hood, choir
Wilson Huyser, choir
Mandolin Koehler, choir
Sophia Meyer, choir
Matthew Mousel, choir
Kenna Pfeifer, band
Riley Rogers, choir

Alliance High School
Maci Cornish, band
Kaden Gasseling, band
Maira Richey, band

Arthur County
Joley Bures, choir
Sida Bures, choir
Alycia Sizer, choir

Blue Hill High School
Simon Hull, choir
Presleann Kerr, band

Centennial Public Schools
Teagan Stahr, band

Central City High School
Cheyenne Veach, band

Fort Calhoun High School
Steven Bryan, band
Dehlia Hallberg, choir
Logan Hansen, band
Connor Holmstedt, band
Jackson Swierczek, band
Landyn Urwiller, band

Freeman High School
Wyatt Dorn, band

Fullerton Public Schools  
Lylla Sabata , band

Gibbon Public Schools
Keely Biegler, choir

Gothenburg High School
Kathryn Bartruff, band
Lathan Buesing, band
Mavrix Butterfield, band
Brant Miller, choir
Brooklyn Reiman, band
Kaylee Olsen, choir
Aleigha Spradlin, band

Grand Island Northwest High School
Eli Keene, band 
Jessica Kroeger, band 
Cayden Cameron, band

Grand Island Senior High
Ulises Acosta, choir
Tessa Bockoven, choir
Cadence Gidcumb, choir
Alijhandra Kirschbaum, choir
Katie Lofing, choir
Tillie McDowall, band
Malia McNeal, choir
Prestin Meier, choir
Kennedy Miller, choir
Jack Parker, band
Rubi Aguilar , choir
Lydia Hostler, choir
Katherine Johnsen, choir

Gretna High School
Lillian Bock, band
Xavier Vavra, band
Sydney Vavra, band

Harvard High School
Allee Jarzynka, choir
Analy Rascon, choir
Hannah Harms, choir

Hastings High School
Athena Barney, choir
Finn Groves, choir
Maddyson Gordon, band
Khris Matul, band

Hastings St. Cecelia
Hannah Javins, choir
Gianna Rosno, choir

Hershey High School
Ella Duckworth, band
Maddie Haddow, band

Holdrege High School
Beckett Coenen, choir
Briley Light, choir
Dayana Mendoza Morales, band
Carson Smith, band

Homeschool  
Ellen Spicka, choir

Kearney High School
Audrey Bauer, band
Gavin Gibreal, band
Eryn Humphrey, band
Joseph Kusek, band
Savannah Mast, band
Rebecca Nebbe, band
Antonio Guerrero , band

Lincoln Northwest High School
Averie Smith, band
Sierra Albers, band

Lincoln Southwest High School
Hawk Emdad, choir
Lyndee Walker, choir

Lincoln Standing Bear
Hannah Baker, band

McCook Senior High
Olivia Bieck, choir

Minden High School
Madalyn Morey, choir

Norfolk Senior High School
Drew Fundus, choir
Emily Henkel, choir
Jade Lilienkamp, choir
Caroline Love, choir
Oden McFarlane, choir
Makenzie Petersen, choir
Levi Phelps, choir
Nolan Probasco, choir
Nathan Solorio, choir

North Platte High School
Henry Cline, choir
Asher Strecker, choir

Ogallala High School
Holly Barber, choir
Lawrence Lowther, choir
Felicity Rittenhouse, choir
Tylie Walker, choir

Perkins County High School
Miles Knapp, band
Cecilia Putnam, choir

Scottsbluff High School
Ella Anderson, choir
Ryley Collins, choir
Paxton Dart, choir
Jonah Flammang, choir
Eddie Griess, choir
Neal Pinet, choir
Maryanne Winterbottom, choir

Silver Lake  
Frank Thomas, band

Sumner-Eddyville-Miller Public School (SEM)
Stephine Scoville, choir
Camden Olivas, choir

Weeping Water 
Tristan Baxter, choir
Jacob Cover, choir
Talon Gilfert, choir

York High School
Daniel Burgess, band
Naomi Renner, band