High School Mixed Honor Choir Festival

February 20-22, 2025

The Adams State University “Top of the Nation” Honor Choir Festival features some of the finest high school choral musicians in the Southwest and includes both an auditioned (symphonic choir) and director-recommended choir (concert choir).

The event is held over a three-day period, beginning on Thursday morning and culminating in a concert on Saturday afternoon.

Guest Conductors:

Dr. Heather Roberson

Heather Roberson Dr. Heather Roberson has been a choir director and voice instructor for over 20 years. She currently teaches studio voice at Iowa Western Community College and at Valley View Music. From 2008-2022, Dr. Roberson was Director of Choral Activities and Professor of Voice at Western Colorado University in Gunnison, CO.  Prior to her appointment at WCU, she was the Director of Choral Activities and Voice Instructor at Dodge City Community College, and also served on the voice faculty at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. Dr. Roberson received her DMA in Choral Conducting with honors from the University of Kansas, her MA in Choral Conducting from the University of Iowa, and her BM in Vocal Performance from Illinois Wesleyan University.

Jeff PeckmanMr. Jeff Peckham

Jeff has his bachelor’s degree in music education and his master’s degree in Voice Performance (with a secondary emphasis in Choral Conducting and Literature) from the University of Northern Colorado. His award-winning choirs have performed in Elitch’s, California (Disneyland), New Orleans, and at Carnegie Hall in New York City. He recently retired from full-time teaching after a career spanning 37 years. During his career he also served on the boards of the Colorado High School All-State Choirs, and the Colorado Music Educators Association.

Please contact Dr. Beth Robison for access to the audition materials

  1. RANGE: Sing the descending range exercise, proceeding downward by half steps to the lowest key listed on the audition sheet. Sing the ascending range exercise, proceeding upward by half steps to the highest key listed on the audition sheet.
  2.  SIGHT READING: Sight read two (2) short sight reading exercises using solfege syllables, numbers or “la.”
  3. PREPARED CHORALE EXERCISE: Sing the appropriate voice part of the chorale
    exercise while other parts are being played. This exercise may be prepared ahead of time.
  4. AURAL RECALL: Three (3) short examples will be played twice each and the student must sing it back on a neutral syllable such as “la.”
  5. A CAPPELLA SINGING: Sing “My Country Tis of Thee” without piano or other accompaniment. Piano will give the starting note and/or chord to establish key.

*Students must complete all of the above in order for the audition to be accepted. PLEASE double check your recordings to make sure that all auditions are complete.

Recorded Audition Procedures and Information for Choir Directors

  1. All auditions should be submitted online
  2. Recordings must be in an mp3, mp4 or wav format, and the maximum file size is 10 MB (10,000 KB)
  3. State the student’s name and voice part very clearly on the recording before each audition.
  4.  Include the student’s name and voice part on the file name that you upload.
  5. Please record each student’s audition without other students in the room.  There should be one try only for all sight reading and aural recall—no practicing.
  6. Continue running the recording between sections since students should be given minimal time to study the sight reading – (no more than 30 sec).

Please record audition requirements in the following order:

  1. Range
  2. Sight Reading—Give I-IV-V-I in the key of the sight-reading example.
  3. Chorale Exercise
  4. Aural Recall—Piano plays each short idea (measure) twice and student sings back immediately without looking at the sheet.
  5. A Cappella Singing

While there is not a fee for registration and submitting auditions, there is a $30 fee for all students who are accepted to the festival.  Please check to make sure that all students are available during the dates of the honor choir festival.

If you have any questions, please contact

Dr. Beth Robison
Adams State University
brobison@adams.edu
719-587-7703