Honor Music Festival returns to Shepherd University for 20th year | News, Sports, Jobs

Shepherd University professors Euan Edmonds, left, and Kurtis Adams, right, perform the trombone with the Shepherd University Jazz Ensemble, during the Shepherd Jazz Showcase Concert in the Frank Arts Center Theater on Friday night. Courtesy photo

SHEPHERDSTOWN — In spite of the approaching snow storm on Sunday, the Shepherd University School of Music held to its plans to host the 20th Annual Honor Music Festival over the weekend, in the Frank Arts Center.

The three-day event begins every year on Friday night and ends on Sunday night. However, the concerning forecast led to some changes being made, to ensure the safety of all its participants.

“Due to the inclement weather forecast for Sunday, the Shepherd University Honor Music Festival Concert has been moved to Saturday evening,” said School of Music program outreach coordinator Heather Wilson. “No Honor Festival events will take place on Sunday.”

In spite of the shortened timeline, the festival still provided meaningful musical experiences for the high school students participating in the festival, from throughout the region. Students were given the opportunity to: create great music with other serious high school musicians from the four-state area; collaborate with Shepherd University faculty conductors and prominent guest conductors; perform in an Honor Music Festival Ensembles Concert in the Frank Arts Center Theater; interact with Shepherd’s outstanding applied faculty in master classes, performances and clinics; and enjoy performances by the Shepherd University Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, choral ensembles and faculty chamber ensembles.

One such performance on the festival’s schedule was the Shepherd Jazz Showcase Concert on Friday night.

Eastern Kentucky University assistant professor of vocal music education Jill Campbell introduces a piece being performed by the Honor Choir in the Frank Arts Center Theater on Saturday night. Courtesy photo

“I have been to many Shepherd honor bands concerts, but this one was the best ever,” said Shepherdstown resident Beth Batdorf, who attended the concert with her husband, John Bresland.

Batdorf and Bresland also came out to support the high schoolers on Saturday night during the culminating event of the weekend, the Honor Music Festival Concert, which, like the Shepherd Jazz Showcase Concert, was held in the Frank Arts Center Theater.

“It was standing room only for both concerts. [And] why wouldn’t it be!” Batdorf said, before speaking specifically about the Honor Music Festival Concert. “It was so exhilarating, as was Friday night’s three-prong jazz concert with the Shepherd jazz band, the faculty jazz quintet and the Community Big Band, which was beyond belief — a wonderful new venture by the Community Music Program.”

According to Batdorf, even though the Honor Music Festival Concert was held a day earlier than originally planned, it was still a delightful experience for concertgoers.

That excellent result was all thanks to the hard work of the students and of their teachers. Shepherd University music faculty members Scott Hippensteel, Kurtis Adams and Jason Strunk served as the conductors for the wind ensemble, jazz ensemble and choir, respectively. Their leadership guided the approximately 160 high school students to work effectively together, as they prepared for their performance on Saturday, with the additional expertise of guest conductors Susan Creasap (Honor Wind Ensemble) Euan Edmonds (Honor Jazz Ensemble) and Jill Campbell (Honor Choir).

Ninety-six of those high school students participated in the 2025 Honor Wind Ensemble and performed a series of pieces together in the Honor Music Festival Concert. Those pieces included: Gabriel Musella’s “Don Ricardo,” Matt Conaway’s arrangement of Steven Reineke’s “The Witch and the Saint,” Julie Giroux’s arrangement of “All Through the Night,” David Biedenbender’s “Melodious Thunk,” Jay Bocook’s arrangement of Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story” and Adrian Sims’ “Forgotten Tales of the West.”

The 2025 Honor Choir also performed a set of music during the Honor Music Festival Concert, including: Sarah Quartel’s “Sing, My Child,” Reena Esmail’s “TaReKiTa,” Roger Emerson’s arrangement of the New Zealand folk song “The Wellerman,” Susan LaBarr’s “Where the Light Begins” and Rollo Dilworth’s arrangement of the Spiritual, “O Mary, Don’t You Weep.”

The 2025 Honor Jazz Ensemble performed several pieces during the Honor Music Festival Concert, featuring jazz favorites such as: John Fedchock’s “Big Bruiser,” Buddy Rich’s “Basically Blues,” James Miley’s arrangement of “Black Hole Sun,” Thad Jones’ “Big Dipper,” John Fedchock’s “Bossa Rio” and Sammy Nestico’s “Hay Burner.”