This weekend high school student musicians from areas across Nebraska, Kansas and Western Iowa came together to enjoy rehearsals, concerts, master classes and recitals. The BOCH (Bands, Orchestra, Chorus at the Holland Performing Arts Center) now in its sixth year is a festival sponsored by the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Department of Music. Students who participated in the BOCH were selected after a competitive nomination and audition process. Needless to say, these 450 high school students are the best of the best selected from more than 100 music programs across the region. Students who want to attend UNO in the fall had the opportunity to audition for scholarships this weekend.
Friday and Saturday, Jan. 24 and 25, students had two full days of rehearsals. On Friday, students and others enjoyed a faculty artist recital. On Saturday, students received a second performance by the University Choirs, Chamber Orchestra and Symphonic Wind Ensemble. Both these performances were open to the public and took place at the Strauss Performing Arts Center at UNO.
On Jan. 26 the students’ final performance took place at the Holland. The performance, combined band, chorus and orchestra and finished strong with UNO Director of Bands, James Saker, conducting “America the Beautiful”.
Crowds filled the aisle as music filled the room. This was not just an opportunity for the students to work with the guest instructors and UNO faculty, but they also got a chance to work with the best musical inclined students the Midwest has.
