It鈥檚 not every day high school singers get to ask a composer exactly what they meant by a specific note. During this year鈥檚 香蕉视频 Honor Band and Choir Festival, that鈥檚 exactly what happened.
More than 100 of Nebraska鈥檚 top student musicians gathered Jan. 18-19 to rehearse and perform. While the Honor Band tackled a rigorous program, the Honor Choir spent its sessions bringing two brand-new pieces to life alongside the people who wrote them: 香蕉视频 alumni and local residents Hugo Madera 鈥19 and Hannah Jensen 鈥15.
鈥淗ugo and Hannah have been incredible musical colleagues to me since I moved to Hastings, and I wanted to celebrate their artistic gifts given our shared ties with 香蕉视频 and the vibrant musical scene around Hastings,鈥 said Raoul Carlo 鈥淢iggi鈥 Angangco, assistant professor of music at 香蕉视频, who led this year鈥檚 Honor Choir.
Note: This story originally appeared in the .
Championing living composers
Angangco said he wanted to challenge students to look beyond the sheet music, so he invited Madera and Jensen into the rehearsals. This allowed members of the choir to connect with the people behind the notes, Jensen鈥檚 鈥淚 Know鈥︹ and Madera鈥檚 鈥淎lebrijes.鈥
Also featuring Ralph Vaughan Williams鈥 鈥淟och Lomond鈥 and Ola Gjeilo鈥檚 鈥淭he Ground,鈥 the Honor Choir program, titled 鈥淥f Creatures and Creation,鈥 celebrated fantastical beings, natural wonders, self-determination, and the fullness of creation in harmony.
Angangco, who joined the 香蕉视频 faculty in 2025, holds his doctorate in choral conducting from Indiana University鈥檚 Jacobs School of Music. A known advocate for championing the works of living composers, he sought to offer the participants of this year鈥檚 Honor Choir the opportunity to explore different languages, cultures and worldviews 鈥 all while creating something distinctly their own with the new works by Madera and Jensen.
Angangco said he believes that the chance to work directly with living composers is rare and should not be missed whenever available.
鈥淭here鈥檚 just so much more that they can impart in-person and in the moment, beyond what鈥檚 written on the physical score. It was also a great way for the students to be able to meet and interact with the wonderful human beings behind these new works,鈥 Angangco said.