Music Festival Thrives Through Record Low Temperatures
Frigid winds blasted across MBU’s campus two weekends ago, dragging with them some of the coldest temperatures Wisconsin has seen this winter. But that didn’t halt the tide of high-schoolers who pulled in to campus at noon on Friday, January 25, and poured into the warmth of the Dining Complex. The excitement was palpable as each attendee waited to register for one of the most anticipated annual music events the university hosts.
The 28th annual Great Lakes Music Festival took over MBU’s campus with the anticipation of a fourteen-year record high number of attendees. The actual attendance numbers suffered from cancellations due to all-time low temperatures for the Festival. But even so, 175 high-schoolers from 6 different states still showed up. That’s 25 over the Great Lakes attendance average for the past two decades and the second highest number in the past 10 years!
Included in those 175 were 6 pianists who arrived a day early to compete in the annual High School Piano Competition. Pianists compete in the blind competition for the first place prize of $100 cash, an MBU scholarship, and the opportunity to perform in the Great Lakes final concert. Second place also receives an MBU scholarship, as well as $50 cash. A total of $1500 in scholarships is distributed to the contestants at the judge’s discretion.
Senior pianist Timothy DeLeon took the top spot with his performances of Beethoven’s Sonata Op. 2, No. 1 in F Major, and The Sunken Cathedral by Debussy. Leah Messer took second place, and both DeLeon and Messer received a High Honors with Distinction designation from the judges. Hannah Ostrander was also awarded a scholarship and was accredited High Honors, along with Caelyn Meier. Abigail Petersen and Bethany Charleston were recognized with Honors.
The Festival runs for just over 24 hours from the opening meeting on Friday to the end of the final combined concert on Saturday. Great Lakes packs extended group practice sessions, festival chorus rehearsals, a pizza party, sponsor workshops, tech rehearsals, a full concert, and even time for sleep into the intense weekend. Besides the Festival Chorus, which includes all attendees, the high-schoolers can choose from orchestra, band, piano ensembles, men’s chorus, and ladies’ chorus tracks to participate in.
Each track practiced their repertoire for nearly 3 and a half hours on Friday and Saturday, in addition to three hours of practice for the Festival Chorus. DeLeon commented, “My favorite thing about Great Lakes was practicing the ensemble piece with 7 other pianists and Dr. Ledge instructing and helping us. That was fun!” All that practice paid off in a delightful concert on Saturday which was attended by many parents and grandparents, school and church sponsors, and university faculty, staff, and students. The theme of the concert, Our American Neighbors, carried throughout the repertoire performed, including pieces from Canada and several different South and Central American countries.
Dr. David Ledgerwood, the chair of the Music Department at MBU, headed up the Great Lakes Music Festival. When asked what pleased him the most about this year’s festival, he remarked how greatly he appreciated that so many people came from so far, even with the nasty weather, and that he was very impressed with the quality of the performances in the concert. He brought up an additional blessing as well. “Great Lakes was the brainchild of Dr. [Monty] Budahl. I was so pleased he was able to pass on his heart to the young people. They responded well to him. His goal is a good musical experience, not as art, but from the heart.”
Dr. Ledgerwood also shared his own simple goal for Great Lakes. “I am hoping that accomplished musicians with a heart for God will be drawn to MBU.”
Pictures from the weekend are available here.
Watch the full concert below.