Area bands, choirs at festival in Colfax today

Students from four area schools are participating in the Southeast Washington Large Group Festival in Colfax today.

“We've never hosted it before,” reported Colfax choir director Cary Cammack.

Colfax, Garfield/Palouse, St. John/Endicott and Pullman middle school students will be participating in the judged event.

Sixth, seventh and eighth grade students from across the southeast Washington region participate in this festival each year. Cammack said judges will be on hand from local universities.

Endicott Middle School band director Billy Ray said WSU music professor David Turnbull and Sarah Miller will be part of the panel, and he added that the participants will be judged based on categories such as balance, blend, correct notes, following their director, appearance and presentation.

Cammack said the bands begin at 8:40 a.m. today in the new elementary school gym and will perform until 2 p.m. The choirs will be in the auditorium at the high school and perform from 9-11:30 a.m.

Cammack added that the event is free and open to the public.