The Hesston College Music Department has announced membership for the 2012-13 Bel Canto Singers. Members are selected by competitive audition.

Incoming first-year students named to the ensemble are Josh Booth of Goessel, Kan., Morgan Martin of New Holland, Pa., Rebecca Rhodes of Arthur, Ill., Jeffrey Smoker of Harrisonburg, Va., and Emily Taylor of Buhler, Kan.

Hesston College students named to the ensemble for their sophomore year are Deni Brummer of Hutchinson, Kan., Kaci Diener of Harrisonville, Mo., and Janae King of Gordonville, Pa.

Hesston College students who were part of Bel Canto during their freshman year and who will return with the ensemble for their sophomore year are Alex Bargerstock of Massillon, Ohio, Neal Brubaker of Goessel, Kan., Broxton Busenitz of North Newton, Kan., Emmie Dudas of Toledo, Ohio, Bonita Garber of Bainbridge, Pa., Rachelle Hanna of Whitewater, Kan., Levi Miller of Hesston, Kan., Alisa Murray of Orrville, Ohio, and Cameron Ponce of Elkhart, Ind.

For 28 years, Bel Canto Singers has been Hesston College’s premiere choral ensemble. Under the direction of Bradley Kauffman, the twenty-voice mixed chamber choir carries out ambitious concert and touring schedules annually  

The choir has performed for professional clinicians including The King’s Singers, Charles Bruffy and Constantina Tsolainou and appeared with the Wichita (Kan.) Grand Opera in its tenth anniversary gala concert in 2011. During the 2011-12 academic year, Bel Canto toured in Indiana, Ohio, Colorado and Iowa and was a featured choir at the Kansas Music Educators’ Winter In Service Workshop.

Bel Canto Singers represent a broad sampling of academic pursuits, from aviation to nursing to music majors.

Plans for the 2012-13 performance schedule include a two-week tour to the east coast that culminates at Carnegie Hall in New York City.