After months of planning, practicing and community secret keeping , the celebration that honored Lin Warren, was held on Sunday afternoon at the Hastings High School Auditorium. The program welcomed collegues, contemporaries and many former students. Master of Ceremonies, Ben Utecht, a Hastings Graduate and choir member from 1999, shared stories, anecdotes and Warren-isms that combined good natured revolations with heart-felt accolades. Utecht expressed his belief that, to many, Warren was their hero, someone who always found a way to encourage, to include and to empower each student and then to expect more than they knew they could achieve. Video contributions from St. Olaf director Anton Armstrong and a montage of more than 20 years of Show Choir, gave the audience an abbreviated overview of the impact Warren has made in his 33 years at Hastings. The Warren Family shared in the graditude with many of the speakers including Principal Mike Johnson and Rosemount Choral Director Steven Albaugh, thanking them for the sacrifices made when the teacher and director was required to fulfill school obligations. Board President of the Hastings Show Choir program, Jerry Baum, made the announcement that a new honor will take effect next year, as the Lin and Kathy Warren Show Choir Scholarship will be presented to a senior who plans to pursue a career in music performance or technology. A proclamation was also read by Alumni and now Hastings City Councilmember Lori Braucks, that this Wednesday, May 24th, will be Warren Wednesday in Hastings, acknowledging the practice on social media of students posting favorite candid photos of their director. The finale was the surprise portion of the event, with over 200 former and current choir members filling the risers after many hours of clandestine practices, led by Luke Warren, who prepared the alumni choir in two favorites, Blessings and Baba Yetu, in which Lin was presented with the baton to lead the hardworking ensemble. At the conclusion of those pieces, there was more, as the younger Warren led the choir in a specially commissioned and carefully kept secret, debut of a piece written by composer Ralph M. Johnson, who used a text telling listeners not to worry, they are in a place where everything is music thanks in part to Lin Warren.
