Oglethorpe sponsored its first all-day high school choral festival on Oct. 30.

Spearheaded by Dr. Timothy Powell, director of the Oglethorpe Singers, and the Office of Admission, the festival brought 130 students in grades 9 through 12 and their teachers, from high schools around the state, to Oglethorpe’s campus.

The young choral students (and future Petrels?) spent the day in rehearsals alongside the Oglethorpe Singers, learning from them and getting to know the university. This past spring semester, the Singers and Dr. Powell hit the road for their first Georgia tour, performing at high schools around the state.

The high schools that participated in the festival were:

• John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School, Augusta, GA – Phillip Streetman, director
• Eastside High School, Covington, Ga – Joel Singleton, director
• Alexander High School, Douglasville, GA – Sandra Chandler, director
• Fitzgerald High School, Fitzgerald, GA – Joanie Patgett, director
• New Manchester High School, Douglasville, GA – Trey Giddons, director

At the end of the day, a 180-voice combined high school and collegiate choir performed a concert in Oglethorpe’s Conant Performing Arts Center. Watch their rehearsal in action: