On Nov. 15, Mark Hayes, the only American composer to be invited to perform at the Vatican in 2014, is coming to Midland to present his music with the combined Center Stage Choirs along with the United Church of Christ Choir.

Sophomore Samantha Damocles has been involved with Bella Voce, a Center Stage Choir, for two years. This weekend she and the choir will be performing several of Hayes’s arrangements as well as another few pieces not composed by Hayes.

Bella Voce, an all girls choir for high school girls only, has by many DHS girls as members including senior Abbey Stolz, sophomore Emily Baldwin, and senior Sarah Hirschi.

“I love the rehearsals and becoming good friends with the other girls in the choir,” Damocles said. “We end up making inside jokes from our music.

Damocles is looking forward to many aspects of the concert this coming weekend.

“[I love] the whole experience of hanging out backstage with the others while we wait for our turn to perform, and then getting to actually perform and hear the music we’ve spent so much time on,” Damocles said.

Concerts, clinics, and workshops will be held throughout the day by Hayes.

For more information on the workshop and the MCFTA visit http://www.mcfta.org/event/musical-mosaic-with-mark-hayes/e18954/

By Maia Donahue