Grand Forks Central choir members thrilled by ‘exciting opportunity’ at North Dakota Capitol, director says – Obituary

GRAND FORKS – For the Grand Forks Central High School chamber choir, singing for Gov. Kelly Armstrong’s State of the State address event will undoubtedly stand out as a highlight of their education, said Geoffrey Mercer, the choir’s director. 

The choir was invited to sing Tuesday, Jan. 7, at the Capitol in Bismarck during the opening session of the 2025 Legislative Assembly.

“It was an exciting opportunity for us, because this was the first time in quite some time that a group from Grand Forks was able to represent our state in this fashion,” Mercer said. The students were “thrilled” to be invited.

The invitation came about because last spring Central’s chamber choir was named the 2024 Governor’s Official State Choral Program. As such, it is invited to perform at selected state functions.

Every year, the governor chooses a North Dakota choral program and a band program, based on auditions, for this honor.

When they first announced it last year, “they felt just so proud. We work pretty hard here. … It was just smiles all around. They thought, how cool, all the hard work is worth it,” Mercer said. “To be chosen not only among school choirs, but any ensemble in North Dakota could be named the Governor’s Choir, and so they know they were chosen over many many others, whether it was school or community groups. …”

During Tuesday’s event, 19 members of the choir, all auditioned freshmen and sophomores, sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” to open the program.

At another point, they sang “Winter Skies,” by Michael Koppelman, a Red River High School graduate, Mercer said. The song, chosen as the state’s official 1989 centennial song, expresses a “love for the state, open skies, countless stars, fresh air, people of integrity,” Mercer said.

“I just thought it was very appropriate for this particular event,” he said.

Because the choir was to sing in the balcony of the legislative chamber, where there is no piano, Koppelman provided the backing track for the instrumental accompaniment for the singers.

In a receiving line, after the performance, students met government leaders, cabinet members, the lieutenant governor and Supreme Court justices.

Members of the 2024-25 Governor’s Choir are: Destiny Butler, Ruby Uglem, Wren Kindseth, Emma Brown, Alexius Hinman, Chloe Snyder, Kenai Auch, Mairi Ferguson, Peyton Anthony, Dani Ganyo, Ashleigh Gabrielson, Hannah Stevenson, Avery Spartz, Violet Spartz, Madison Clark, Audrey Atherton, Vincent Hambrick, Isaac Bui, Levi Borboa, Sam Sather, Jaded Halvorson, Max Burin, Chris Reed, Caden Kim and Ethan Hogberg – not all of whom were able to participate in the performance at the Capitol.

Choir members made the most of their time in Bismarck.

In addition to performing in the legislative chambers, they also visited the North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum and received a backstage tour of the fossil collection.

The students viewed the portrait gallery of winners of the Roughrider Award, especially noting Grand Forks Central graduates Fido Purpur, Virgil Hill and Judge Ronald Davies.

They also met Grand Forks legislators Scott Meyer, state senator, and Nels Christianson and Steve Vetter, state representatives.

This is the choir’s second performance as the Governor’s State Choral Program. The choir performed for a tree-lighting ceremony Dec. 5 at the Capitol. They sang “Carol of the Bells,” by Peter Wilhousky. Later, after a talk by First Lady Kathryn Burgum on her Recovery Reinvented platform, they sang “When the Light of Morning Breaks,” by PinkZebra, in keeping with her message of overcoming adversity, Mercer said.

On the students’ most recent “fulfilling trip” to Bismarck, he said, “you’re rubbing elbows with leaders of our state, influential people, and people they look up to … (leaders) who were all very kind to our children too. That was really nice to see too – very inspirational for our students.”

“The opportunity to (perform at the Capitol) was just something very special for our kids,” Mercer said. “To get the opportunity to sing in a place like that, I said to the kids, for one moment, stop, look at where you are and what you’re doing and just think about it, and how important that is. That was kind of cool to see them grow into that.

“Sometimes it’s these things that you do outside of school that mean more … that are the most educational and most memorable.”  

This experience is thought to be the first time a Grand Forks Central High School choir has been named the Governor’s Official State Choral Program.

In 2003, Red River High School’s concert choir received this designation, according to the Governor’s Office, and it is believed that its concert band was selected as the Governor’s Official State Band about 50 years ago.