The Festival of Women’s Voices concert includes a mix of the South Dakota State University Women’s Choir and high school choir members from across the state. The concert has been held the second Thursday in February every three years since 2004.

Laura Diddle, director of choral activities at SDSU, said 600 to 700 people are expected to attend the Feb. 9 concert in the Performing Arts Center. This year’s choir will feature 120 high school students and 120 members of the SDSU women’s choir.

According to Diddle, the high school choir is composed of girls from 20 schools across South Dakota, including Roosevelt and O’Gorman in Sioux Falls, Sunshine Bible Academy in Miller, as well as schools from Harrisburg, Webster and Elkton.

It is an honor to be in the high school choir, Diddle said. Students are nominated for the program by their choral directors.

“The Festival of Women’s Voices provides a unique musical opportunity for young high school women to work with collegiate women celebrating not only great music, but the spirit and power of 240 women uniting their voices to sing from their hearts and make a difference for our audience with their performance,” Diddle said.

Carol Krueger, director of choral activities at the University of Valdosta in Georgia, is the guest conductor for the show.

 “Hopefully we will touch the hearts of many with our artistry and passion for choral music,” Krueger said.

 There will be 12 pieces performed throughout the evening, with two of them sang together by the high school and SDSU Women’s Choir. The singers will rehearse with Krueger and Diddle throughout the day before the concert.

This is not the first time for some students to participate in the Festival of Women’s Voices, including Kathryn Paulson, a freshman human development and family studies major.

“I participated in this festival as an elementary student as well as a high school student,” Paulson said. “So, it will be fun to sing in it as a college student, too.”

 Krueger will be directing the high school choir as well as the two songs the collegiate and high school girls will perform together. Diddle will be directing the collegiate choir.

 “As I tell the women of the SDSU Women’s Choir on a weekly basis — I am honored to be their director and privileged to work with them twice a week,” Diddle said. “Our future is in very good hands with these energetic, talented young women.”

 Allison Bich, a freshman pre-pharmacy major in the Women’s Choir, said she is excited to perform with such a large and talented choir.

 “Being able to sing with so many women, with such great talent, will be an amazing experience,” Bich said.

The Festival of Women’s Voices takes place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9 in the Performing Arts Center.