This Saturday (April 29th) will be a huge day at Danville High School for a couple major reasons. First, the Danville District 118 Fine Arts Showcase will run all day, from 9 to 4. District Fine Arts Facilitator Brian Klett says performances in the Dick Van Dyke Auditorium will start with the elementary school students, and work their way to older South View and North Ridge students, all the way to the high schoolers.
And while that is going on there will be an all day art show of students’ work in the auditorium lobby. And also, Klett says, a chance for children to create their own art, with a “make it-take it.”
AUDIO: Any kid, kindergarten through 12th grade, the art teachers are putting it on. They can come and make an art project and take it home with them.
And any DHS graduate who remembers the International Fairs that used to be held during school in the Little Theatre. Well, that’s exactly what it will feel like, Klett says, if you head down to the DHS basement Saturday for the International Show.
AUDIO: Kids will get a chance to grab a passport; and go basically around the country, around the world actually I mean. And they’re able to get stamps, and then they get a little prize at the end. But it’s going to be hosted by the Foreign Language Department for the District, and the students. The students are actually the ones that are putting this on.
Former DHS Choir Director Larry Voorhees passed away in November of 2020.
And later on Saturday, after a break for a couple hours, will be the 6:30 tribute concert in memory of DHS Choir Director Larry Voorhees. This will be a DHS musical reunion, as it will involve current DHS students and alumni. Klett says a major moment will be the performance of a piece of music Larry Voorhees wrote while in college. It’s been arranged by DHS music staffer Gage Womack.
AUDIO: And our orchestra teacher actually took his original writings, put it through the computer, and his orchestra has learned that piece of music. The band is performing, the jazz band will be performing; and then the alumni/adult choir. It will be a lot alumni students both from when he was in Hoopeston and when he was at Danville; and also people he sang with when he was at various churches.
Larry Voorhees’ wife Jan Voorhees will be conducting; and Dave Schroeder, who was an accompanist for Larry both as a student and adult, will be playing as well.
