CHS Music Department presents annual Spring Concert and awards
<span>Steve Colonel, Chester High School Music director, and the CHS Music Department presented the annual Spring Concert and Awards Night on May 10.</span>
<span>"This has been another outstanding year for the CHS Music Department and the success we've had is because our kids once again faced the year with the determination of an impassioned army to meet the challenges I issued to them head on," Colonel said.</span>
<span>Colonel noted that the Music Department set goals and the students helped to create goals to achieve those goals.</span>
<span>As a result, every one of those goals were met and CHS made history again this year by becoming the first group at Chester High School to win an IHSA state trophy.</span>
<span>Bands and choral groups earned points at the IHSA Solo and Ensemble Contest in early March and then at the IHSA Organizational Contest in April.</span>
<span>The groups earned a total of 339 Sweepstakes points for their solo and ensemble competition points, earning Chester first place in the Class C Vocal Division.</span>
<span>At the Nashville Organizational Contest the Band, Concert Choir and Swing Choir earned another 187.5 points.</span>
<span>The combined Solo and Ensemble Points and Organizational points came to a grand total of 526.5 points, which was third place in the state in Class C.</span>
<span>Each student that competed at either the Solo and Ensemble Contest or the Organizational Contest was presented with a medal in appreciation for their accomplishments this year.</span>
<span>"We have operated this entire year under the mantra that every performance will be better than the last," Colonel said. "Tonight that is exactly what we intend to give you all; a performance like you've never experienced before."</span>
<span>The concert began with three musical selections by the CHS Swing Choir, Sound Affect - "I Say a Little Prayer" (soloists Elizabeth Heffernan, Kylie Liefer, Avry Sebastian, Kayla Simcock, Allaynah Price and Lucas Doiron), "Happy Together" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love."</span>
<span>Colonel then recognized the four-year members of the CHS Music Department. Each senior received a plaque as appreciation for four years of service to the program.</span>
<span>Four-year Vocal Music students, all seniors, are: Amber Carnahan, Courtney Dobbs, Emily Eggemeyer, Luke Hartman, Elizabeth Heffernan, Alyssa Hoops, Chelsie Miller, Alex Phillips, Allaynah Price, Stephanie Roth, Jenna Wahl and Austin Welge.</span>
<span>Four-year members of the CHS Instrumental Department, all seniors, are: Amber Carnahan, Anna Cole, Courtney Dobbs, Wes Fields, Ethan Gendron, Elizabeth Gruenewald, Jason Heberlie, Nick Heldebrandt, Garret Hoffman, Ryan Kattenbraker, Olivia Moore, Melissa Myers, Alex Phillips, Allaynah Price, Stephanie Roth, Austin Runge, Joe Schneier, Brooke Wahl, and Alex Westbrook.</span>
<span>The CHS Concert then took the stage to perform the four songs that they performed at the IHSA Organizational Contest.</span>
<span>This year marked the first year that the Concert Choir competed at contest and their additional points for the IHSA Sweepstakes point total.</span>
<span>Concert Choir earned a Division II (2</span><span>nd</span><span> Place) rating, just missing 1</span><span>st</span><span> place by eight-tenths of a point.</span>
<span>The Concert Choir performed "I Will Lift My Voice and Sing," "Prayer for the Children" and "Lean on Me."</span>
<span>Justin Stehl was a soloist in last performance. </span>
<span>To close the Concert Choir portion of the show, the group made a quick costume change from concert robes to Hawaiian shirts as they sang, "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride."</span>
<span>Jack Hathaway was the featured soloist.</span>
<span>Colonel gave the musicians a break after the conclusion of the Concert Choir and presented the major music award winners for the 2015-2016 school year.</span>
<span>The Swing Choir, "Sound Affect," was next to perform with "Pinball Wizard." Lucas Doiron and Mitchell Colonel were the featured soloists.</span>
<span>Sound Affect then performed, "Earth Song," with soloists Alex Phillips, Justin Stehl and Amber Carnahan.</span>
<span>The swing choir concluded their segment of the show with a tune called, "Edge of Glory."</span>
<span>Montana Rose and Alex Westbrook were the featured soloists.</span>
<span>While the CHS Concert Band prepared to close the program, Brenda Coop, CHS Drama director, presented the Drama Awards for this year's musical, "Into the Woods."</span>
<span>"I would like to thank everyone who participated in this year's musical," Coop said. "As many of you know, directing this musical has been a dream of mine for many years."</span>
<span>To close out the program, the Chester High School Concert Band performed the three contest pieces that helped the music department earn the third-place trophy.</span>
<span>The band performed "Cradle of Liberty," "Africa" and "Beyond the Higher Skies."</span>
<span>Colonel and company then played one final tune, titled "Kinetic Dances."</span>
CHS Music Department Award Recipients
Amanda Kahre Memorial Award
<span>Jason Heberlie</span>
Arion Vocal Music Runner-Up
<span>Lucas Doiron</span>
Arion Vocal Music Award
<span>Amber Carnahan</span>
Frederick Allmeyer Memorial Award
<span>Zach Zappa</span>
Wayne Thorne Memorial Award
<span>Brooke Wahl</span>
Arion Runner-Up Award for Band
<span>Alex Westbrook</span>
<span>Arion Award for Band</span>
<span>Allaynah Price</span>
CHS Drama Department Award Recipients
Director's Award
<span>Amber Carnahan</span>
<span>Jason Heberlie</span>
<span>Kylie Liefer</span>
<span>Hailey Asbury</span>
<span>Taylor Dunning</span>
Most Improved Performance
<span>Jacob Hoffman (Rapunzel's Prince)</span>
<span>Elizabeth Soellner (Rapunzel)</span>
<span>Outstanding Vocalist</span>
<span>Lucas Doiron (The Baker)</span>
<span>Elizabeth Heffernan (The Baker's Wife)</span>
<span>Trent Doiron (Cinderella's Prince/Wolf)</span>
<span>Alex Phillips (Cinderella)</span>
<span>Mitchell Colonel (Jack)</span>
<span>Montana Rose (Cinderella's Mother)</span>
Outstanding Characterization
<span>Kylie Liefer (The Witch)</span>
<span>Lucas Doiron (The Baker)</span>
<span>Alex Phillips (Cinderella)</span>
<span>Elizabeth Heffernan (The Baker's Wife)</span>
<span>Trent Doiron (Cinderella's Prince/Wolf)</span>
<span>Jason Heberlie (The Narrator/Mysterious Man)</span>
<span>Ellen Blechle (Jack's Mom)</span>
<span>Alex Westbrook (Little Red Riding Hood)</span>
Four Years of Commitment and Dedication
<span>Alyse Bollman</span>
<span>Anna Cole</span>
<span>Jaclyn Colvis</span>
<span>Lucas Doiron</span>
<span>Christian Gray</span>
<span>Elizabeth Heffernan</span>
<span>Alex Phillips</span>
<span>Allaynah Price</span>
<span>Tyler Redeker</span>
Alex Westbrook