Dr. Isaac Lovdahl, assistant professor of music and interim director of choral activities at Bemidji State University, will serve as guest director for the upcoming “Our Voice, Our Song” festival.

Hosted by the Staples Area Women’s Chorus, the event will take place March 1, 2025, at 7 p.m. in the Staples-Motley High School gymnasium.

Since its inception in 2014, “Our Voice, Our Song” has provided regional high school choirs a day of musical collaboration. Lovdahl will lead rehearsals, sectionals and workshops, culminating in a public concert featuring a 200-voice combined choir.

Each year, the festival invites a new guest conductor and features treble choirs with high voices, including sopranos and altos. This year, participants include the Brainerd High School treble choir and the Colla Voce Girl’s Choir. Each choir will perform its own set before combining for a program conducted by the guest director.

“I’ve deliberately programmed music by all female composers—music that is empowering to women of all backgrounds and life experiences,” Lovdahl said. “This year, the featured composers are Jocelyn Hagen, a Minnesota composer, Dale Trumbore, Ellen Gilson Voth and Jennifer Lucy Cook. I’m honored by this invitation and excited to work with the festival choir to create a fun and meaningful concert experience.”

The evening performance will include the Colla Voce Choir, the Staples Area Women’s Chorus and the Brainerd High School Choir, along with selected soloists.

Lovdahl brings expertise and enthusiasm to this role. As an accomplished choral conductor and educator, he has dedicated his career to fostering musical excellence and inspiring the next generation of vocalists. His leadership at Bemidji State University and within the broader choral community continues to impact students and fellow musicians.

The event is open to the public, with tickets available at the door for $5 per person. Children under five are admitted free, with a family maximum of $20.