(02/09/2024) Coon Rapids High School hosted the 22nd Annual Northwest Suburban Conference (NWSC) Music Festival Feb. 7-8. The event provides students the opportunity to pursue excellence in music performance, listen to music with understanding, and celebrate the artistic achievements of other student musicians. 

All five traditional high schools from Anoka-Hennepin — Andover, Anoka, Blaine, Champlin Park and Coon Rapids — participated in the event along with NWSC members: Armstrong, Centennial, Elk River, Maple Grove, Osseo, Park Center, Rogers, Spring Lake Park and Totino-Grace high schools. 

Each high school’s concert band, choir and orchestra ensembles perform for guest clinicians, who then critique and provide feedback on their performances. Students are also encouraged to complete critical listening forms as they attend various performances during the event. View photos from the NWSC Music Festival. 

Before the event, three All-Conference ensembles rehearse different works of music in preparation for working with the guest clinicians in one rehearsal leading up to the All-Conference Concert, which this year was held on Sunday, Feb. 7 at the CRHS Fieldhouse.

This year, guest conductors included Dr. Cassandra Bechard, Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Northwestern in St. Paul, Dr. Lynda Hasseler, Director of Choral Activities and Professor of Music at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, and Hisham Bravo Groover, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra.