McPherson High School Choir

12/17/2024

The All-State Choir lists are complete! We are so excited for these students to represent our programs at the KMEA All-State Convention Feb 2025!!!

08/31/2024

So proud of all of my friends and colleagues up in northeast Kansas…Olathe East High School to be specific!!!

Congratulations!!!
Jason Sickel Kezia Schrag Laura Klaassen

Also love that McPherson High School was recognized as a Top 5 Fine Arts School in Kansas yet again! What a run we’ve been on!!! Woohoo!!!

TOPEKA, Kan. – Olathe East High School has been selected as the KSHSAA Performing Arts School of Excellence award winner. A total of 23 Kansas high schools will receive recognition by the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) for outstanding performing arts programs.

05/05/2024

Teacher Appreciation Week Stats:

🍎 19 Years
🍎 2 School Districts: Perry Lecompton USD 343, McPherson USD 418
🍎 Grades: 5-12
🍎 Subjects: Secondary Choral Music, Vocal Jazz, AP Music Theory, General Music, Leadworthy
🍎 Students taught: Thousands…no way to count
🍎 Students I told and meant “I Love You” …also thousands
🍎 Principals: 🤔 … Almost 20
🍎 Different Classrooms: 4
🍎 Coaching: Middle School Football (19), Middle School Track (10), High School Baseball (4)
🍎 Musicals Directed: 19…can’t name them all
🍎 States taught: Kansas, Illinois (student teaching)
🍎 Certification: Pre-K-12 Vocal Music Education
🍎 School Trips: New York (2 times), Chicago (3 times), Texas, Winter Park (5 times)

05/05/2024

Worlds of Fun Festival of Music 2024!

Our two middle school groups came away with two more superior ratings (I’s) today! We are very proud of them!

Especially proud that they were commended for how they showed our bus driver and some other service workers along the way during our trip, RESPECT! Our groups are not perfect and we have plenty to learn but I’m so happy (and I hope their parents are, too) that people noticed they were not succumbing to the typical pre-teen/early teen stereotypes and actually showed signs of restraint when needed and respect to almost everyone they came in contact with!

Go MMS Choirs!!!

McPherson Middle School
McPherson Public Schools

04/18/2024

After one of the most confusing days of my entire professional career at KSHSAA Regionals a weekend ago, McPherson HS Choirs ended up having a pretty good day at KSHSAA State Large Group, today.

Select Women’s Choir - 1
Mixed Choir - 1
Concert Choir (mostly freshman choir) - 1

Not perfect by any stretch of the imagination because we’ve had one heck of a spring over here, but very musical and pretty darn good overall.

I know several directors experience both the good and bad when we subject ourselves to adjudication each year. It’s amazing how little we can feel when things don’t go as expected…and it’s even more baffling how big we can feel when things go well (it’s such a small glimpse of what we actually do for students).

As I approach year 20, I’m trying to stay pretty level headed…
I work my butt off to give my students good quality experiences. But, I am always evaluated by how well they perform (good or bad)…this is a tough business for so many of us.

I hope each director out there can appreciate how hard they have worked to prepare their students for a day where they come together, work towards a common goal in a publicly scrutinized performance, and actually complete the task at hand.

As I’ve read from many posts… I’m am overwhelming exhausted and just overall…spent as well. This was as tough of a semester as I’ve ever had. I’m glad we get to perform next week at KSHSAA State Solo & Small Ensemble and at the Kansas City Jazz Summit, but, whew…this is a tough stretch.

Congratulations to all the music directors out there subjecting themselves to scrutiny in a public forum. Hang in there…we’re almost done!

Blessings!

02/19/2024

It's almost show time!!!

McPherson High School is well represented at this year's KMEA!
We're so excited for our two jazz ensembles that were selected to perform at this year's convention! Hope you can come and see these fantastic musicians!

Vita Voce (SSAA Vocal Jazz)
Friday, Feb 23rd @ 9:00am - Hyatt Ballroom

Jazz Ensemble I
Friday, Feb 23rd @ 1:15pm - Hyatt Ballroom

Also so excited for all of the students that were selected to perform in the KCDA & KMEA All-State Honor Choirs!!!

KCDA Treble All-State Choir -

ChesLea Allison - 9th (3x)
Keziah Bing - 7th (2x)
Malachi Griggs - 6th
Serenity Magnall - 9th (3x)
Ava Miller - 9th
Danae Paine - 9th (3x)
Dragon Rodriguez - 9th
Celaine Worden - 9th (2x)

KMEA All-State Choir(s) -

Mallory Holmes (4x)
Lauren Newcom (4x)
Bree Pickerell (2x)

It's gonna be a great week!

McPherson High School
McPherson Middle School
McPherson Public Schools

12/17/2023

MHS Choir Caroling has ended for this season but we had so much fun sharing our gifts and spreading a little Holiday Spirit with this community! We are grateful for the opportunity to come and spend time with so many people from “1 - 92” and so many different places in town! If we missed you, we apologize we tried our best to get to as many places as possible, but if you want to hear some more we have our Winter Concert at the McPherson Church of the Brethren Monday, Dec 18th @ 7pm!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

12/12/2023

MMS Honors Choir @ Cedars today! So excited that we got so spread a little holiday cheer!
Proud of each member for leading some sing alongs and performing for these great and accomplished community members!

Thank you, Lamonte Rothrock, for setting everything up. We love this opportunity and we are incredibly grateful for the connections that we get to make each year!

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year”

McPherson Middle School
McPherson Public Schools

12/03/2023

What a great day!
The South Central KMEA Honor Ensemble weekend was incredible!!!
So proud of the 9 McPherson HS choir students that performed today!!!
Dr. McKenna Marie Stenson and Dr Eduardo Garcia-Novelli were absolutely fantastic!
Mr Christopher Shaw and Mrs Melody Bontrager were incredible AGAIN, today! What an embarrassment of riches!
Even with a publisher and choral music distributor issue, these students worked so very hard for these incredible choral professionals and pulled off two beautiful concerts!
A special treat for McPherson HS were the 3 students highlighted during this concert!
Ms Bree Pickerell had a duet and Ms Lauren Newcom had a vocal solo during the concert. Ms Madison Snyder was featured in a small group of body percussionists!

Couldn’t be more pleased with how the day ended up. So many kind directors willing to step up and help out wherever it was needed.

It was another crazy week for this guy but, I’m feeling overjoyed with the student performances and the incredible people God continues to put in my pathway.

It was a great day to be a music educator!!!

12/01/2023

Vita Voce @ MPact Vocal Jazz Festival today!
They had another strong performance and they continue to grow with each performance!
Great job today, Vita Voce!
McPherson Public Schools
MHS Guidance Office

11/16/2023

Vita Voce was asked to sing the National Anthem for the McPherson Purple Heart City Ceremony this evening! They sounded lovely as always and we were grateful for the opportunity to share our gifts with these amazing veterans. We are so grateful for their sacrifices for our freedom!

So proud of you ladies!

McPherson Public Schools
MHS Guidance Office

11/10/2023

So proud of these vocalists from McPherson High School Choir! They represented MHS well at the South Central KMEA District Choir Auditions...competing against nearly 800 vocalists for just 240 spots! So excited for these students...CONGRATULATIONS!!!
McPherson Public Schools
MHS Guidance Office