Faribault is the host for this year’s Big Nine Music Festival on Friday. This exciting event is the culmination of hours of hard work and preparation from each of the participating school’s top performing choir, band and orchestra. In addition, top musicians have been selected from each school to rehearse together to prepare special music for the select orchestra, select choir and select band. This festival brings more than 2,000 student musicians together to perform for each other and clinicians to showcase the musical talent of the students in the Big Nine Conference.

The daytime performances begin at 8:30 a.m. and continue until 2:45 p.m. with a break for lunch. The bands will perform at Faribault High School’s auditorium, the orchestras in the gymnasium, and the choirs at Divine Mercy Catholic Church sanctuary. The clinicians for the day are Matthew George, band clinician from St. Thomas University, Juan Tony Gusman, orchestra clinician from Luther College, and choral clinician, Paul Nesheim from Minnesota State University-Moorhead. Daytime performances are free and the public is most welcome to come and listen. Albert Lea band will perform at 9 a.m., orchestra at 10:30 a.m., and choir at 1:45 p.m. at the church.

The Grand Finale Concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Faribault High School gymnasium. Tickets for this event are $7 for adults and $5 for students. The concert always showcases an amazing performance by the select orchestra, select band and select choir. The concert will conclude with a moving combined band, choir and orchestral performance of “America the Beautiful.”

Singing in the select choir from Albert Lea are Morgan Ciota, Claire Buendorf, Taylor Peek, Colleen Thompson, Stacia Lebeck, Christine Peterson, Ashley Tewes, Samantha Stanley, Jace Talamantes, Nick Bera, Matt Attig, Nick Walther, Sergio Salgado, Kyle Ooms, Sean Laurie and Seth Tovar. Playing in the select orchestra are Addison Peterson, Alex VanVooren, Jessie Olson, Annelisa Brown, Julia Otten, Tyler Egge, Houston Sharpe, Maria Silva, Ella Otten and Kelly Schroeder. Albert Lea students in the select band are Sami Klapperick, Kelsey Lenhart, Katie Callahan, Jon Kruen, Allison Scott, Stuart Behling, Lindsey Stewart, Jason Appel, Parker Hanna and Jacob Kunkel.