A capacity crowd, estimated at 1,800 to 2,000, attended performances by five All-East Tennessee Choirs at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center on Saturday afternoon.

The free concert was presented by the East Tennessee Vocal Association (ETVA) All-East Chorus and included the best student singers from Chattanooga to Bristol.

The choirs totaled 669 of the top vocal students from middle schools and high schools throughout East Tennessee.

The number of those in the audience actually was more than the auditorium's 1,200-seat capacity, as the audience, composed mainly of proud parents and friends of the singers, changed somewhat after each half-hour singing session.

Eight scholarships of $100 each were presented by the ETVA to: Sarah Lawson, of Maryville High School; Andrea Markowitz, of Seymour High School; Emily Eaton, of Farragut High School; Olivia Crisp, of Seymour High School; Mark Laseter, of the Chattanooga Center for the Creative Arts; Joseph Clark, of Cocke County High School; Stephen Maples, of South Doyle High School, and Andy Vindson, of South Doyle High School.

First to sing was the youngest group of singers, the Middle School Honor Choir with 195 boys and girls. It was directed by Dr. Tim Hendrickson, director of choral activities at Delta College in University Center, Mich. The choir concluded with a rousing rendition of "Jonah."

Next on the stage was the Freshman Honor Choir, which included 160 boys and girls.

Directed by Laura Ritter, director of choral activities at Walters State Community College, the chorus sang five selections. The choir was conducted by Jospeh Martin, director of Sacred Publications for Shawnee Press.

Third to sing was the All-East Men's Choir, comprised of 76 students in the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades.

It climaxed its performance with "Mighty Men of Song," and a moving, patriotic anthem, "Who are The Brave, and an amusing piece, "Mighty Men of Song,"

The All-East Mixed Choir, the fourth chorus, was the largest, having student singers in the 10th, 11th, and 12th grade. Its conductor was Dr. William Caldwell, adjunct professor of music at Belmont University in Nashville.

Its final, impressive selections were two different pieces, The Pilgrims Hymn and Let Me Fly.

The afternoon's final chorus was the All-East Women's Choir, consisting of 100 students in the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades whio were directed by Dr. Sonya Sepulveda, director of choral activities at Brewton Parker College in Mount Vernon, Ga.;

For one selection, the choir members walked up the auditorium's aisles to sing Dravidian Dithyramb, an amusing but impressive piece filled with sounds one might hear in the jungle, which the audience helped provide.

The three-day program began Thursday with the arrival of the high school singers, who began rehearsing Thursday evening.

Rehearsals were held throughout Friday at First Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Greeneville High School and NPAC.

Students who participated in the All-East competition had won the honor of doing so after spending several weeks in special rehearsals, and passing rigorous auditions and screenings, May said.

The visiting choir directors praised the three-day program's organization, which was led by Greeneville High School Choral Director Kathryn E. May.

They also spoke appreciatively of the hospiality they found in Greeneville.

May especially thanked the 60 or 70 Greeneville High School parents who assisted the visiting singers in many ways on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.