, , The World Comes to Harding for a Song The 15th Annual Christian College Choral Festival was held at Harding University this spring. The event rotates yearly from school to school. This was the third time Harding had hosted the festival. Previously, in 1%7 and 1976, Harding sponsorea the mus~ ic shows which were conducted by George Lynn. This year the combined chorus~ es, numbering approximately 800 students, were directed by Howard Swan. Swan is a leading figure in choral music in the United States. Cliff Ganus 111, the event's coordinator ' for the host group, Chorale. commented, ·'We had a very good man as clinician. He helped the festival become a very good experience for everyone. " The groups, which performed January 10, from 7:30-11:00 p.m., began arriving a day early. Seven hOUfS were spent in rehearsal together. Each of the Choruses were allowed seven minutes of individual performance time. In all, 18 choruses representing 13 schools participated in the program. The students were housed in the homes of church members, faculty members, and dormitories in and around Searcy. An enormous banquet was given for the singers before the festival for which the Belles and Beaux performed. The audience, estimated 1,100, seemed very appreciative and responsive to the groups. Many of the viewers travelled from such distant places as Dallas and Texarkana to witness the event. In summarizing the festival, Ganus noted, "By far, this was the largest festival ever held. There were 500 or so last year, but this year's 800 made it an enor-
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