- About Choral Studies
- Ensembles
- Holiday Dinner
- Tours
- Student Organizations
- Jazz/Madrigal
- Faculty
- Performances
- Scholarships
- Vocal Audition Information
About Choral Studies
The Northern Arizona University choral area is comprised of over 250 participants in seven ensembles. The energy generated by these singers makes NAU a very exciting place to sing. In addition, the choral area features an outstanding handbell choir that performs on five-octave sets of Malmark bells and chimes. All the ensembles perform on campus each semester. The select choirs often perform off campus as well at state and regional conferences and regional tours.
Choral Ensembles
The Shrine of the Ages Choir founded in 1933 is a select, mixed choral ensemble offering upper-division music majors and experienced non-music majors an opportunity to pursue intensive study of choral music.
Five other outstanding choral ensembles are also open to students of all majors attending NAU: University Singers, Men’s Chorale, Women’s Chorale, and two Vocal Jazz Ensembles—High Altitude and Northern Voices.
In the spring semester, students may also audition for the Chamber Singers, a select ensemble that performs varied repertoire for the graduate student lecture recitals.
NAU students also have the opportunity to audition for the Master Chorale of Flagstaff, an off-campus, 90-voice auditioned community choir, comprised of people who love to sing ages 18-70 and from all walks of life.
Holiday Dinner
The major emphasis of the fall semester and a very meaningful event to students, faculty, and the community is the Annual Holiday Dinner. The dinner is one of the students’ greatest accomplishments as they serve and entertain over 1,600 patrons during the course of four performances in early December. All proceeds from this special event are used for scholarships and graduate assistantships for students pursuing undergraduate degrees in choral music education, vocal performance, and graduate degrees in choral conducting.
Tours
The spring term includes on-campus performances by the vocal jazz ensembles and the annual concert tour of the Shrine of the Ages Choir. Shrine performed regionally and every third year tours internationally. Shrine has traveled to the Peoples Republic of China in 1998, Germany and Italy in 2000, Austria and Germany in 2004, Australia and New Zealand in 2007, and will tour South Africa in May 2010.
Music Student Organizations
Students pursuing a degree in choral music education are provided with leadership opportunities through flourishing student chapters of the Music Educators National Conference and the American Choral Directors Association. Students travel to enriching conventions and symposiums, serve as assistant conductors with various choral groups in the choral area, and meet regularly to discuss current issues in the field of music education. Each year in early February, over 100 choirs participate in the annual NAU Vocal Jazz & Madrigal Festival that is hosted by the Student Chapter of ACDA.
Jazz/Madrigal Festival
For more information regarding the Jazz/Madrigal Festival go [HERE]
Faculty
Dr. Edith Copley, Director of Choral Activities
Dr. Ryan Holder, Associate Director of Choral Activities
Performance Opportunities
Shrine of the Ages Choir(MUP 356) is a large, advanced,
mixed ensemble of sophomore through graduate singers chosen by select
audition. The ensemble is dedicated to the study and performance of
outstanding choral repertoire. The Shrine of the Ages Choir, under
the direction of Dr. Edith Copley, has been featured at national and
regional conventions of the American Choral Directors Association and
Music Educators National Conference. Shrine tours the Southwest
each year and internationally every three years, including concert
tours to the Peoples Republic of China (1998), Western Europe (2000 & 2004),
Australia and New Zealand (2007) and South Africa (2010). Shrine
has also produced several CD recordings. Auditions for Shrine are held
at the end of spring semester for the following academic year. Final
placement auditions for Shrine are held the Thursday evening before
classes begin in the fall. For more information, please contact
the conductor, Dr. Edith A. Copley.
Women’s Chorale (MUP 362) is open to music majors and
non-music majors from all disciplines across the University by audition. The
ensemble performs a wide variety of distinctive and challenging repertoire for
women’s voices. Auditions are held at the beginning of each semester. For
more information regarding auditions, please contact the conductor, Dr. Ryan
Holder.
Men’s Chorale (MUP 361) enjoys widespread popularity with
its thrilling sonorities unique to the male chorus. The ensemble is open to music
majors and non-music majors from all areas of the University. The Men’s
Chorale performs two formal concerts each semester as well as performances at
campus sporting events. Choral interviews are held at the beginning of
each semester. For more information, please contact the choral studies
office at 928-523-2642.
University Singers (MUP 357) is a large mixed chorus of primarily
undergraduate students who love to sing and represents various majors throughout
the University. The choir meets one night each week and performs two concerts
each semester that feature a wide variety of choral literature. Choral
interviews are held at the beginning of each semester. For more information,
please call the choral studies office at 928-523-2642.
Vocal Chamber Ensemble (MUP 377) is a small, select ensemble
of undergraduate and graduate singers that performs challenging repertoire for
the lecture recitals and performances given by graduate choral conducting students
each spring semester. Auditions are typically held during the fall semester
for the spring term. For more information, please contact the director
of choral studies, Dr. Edith A. Copley.
High Altitude (MUP 378) is a select vocal jazz ensemble of eight
singers and offers an opportunity for advanced, in-depth study of vocal jazz
in a variety of styles. Undergraduate and graduate students with strong vocal
jazz experience are encouraged to audition at the end of the spring semester.
High Altitude performs frequently on and off campus The ensemble has appeared
at the Arizona Music Educators Conference and will perform at the 2010 ACDA Western
Division Conference in Tucson. For more information, please contact the
associate director of choral studies, Dr. Ryan Holder.
Northern Voices (MUP 378) is an auditioned vocal jazz ensemble
of 12-16 singers and offers students an opportunity for study in the vocal jazz
idiom including vocal improvisation, extended jazz harmonies, and jazz solo singing. Undergraduate
students are encouraged to audition the weekend before classes begin. Northern
Voices performs frequently on and off campus and tours frequently around the
state. For more information, please contact the associate director of Choral
Studies, Dr. Ryan Holder.
Harter Memorial Handbell Choir (MUP 365) was founded in 1988
with a generous donation of a five-octave handbell set by the children of Harold
M. Harter. The ensemble performs challenging handbell literature and is open
to all students by audition at the beginning of each semester.
All the ensembles in the choral area perform on campus each semester, including the annual Choral Holiday Dinner, and participate in state and regional conventions and festivals. For more information about choral singing opportunities at NAU, please call the choral studies office at 928-523-2642.
Master Chorale of Flagstaff is an auditioned 90-voice ensemble of community singers, as well as faculty, students, and staff. The Master Chorale performs their annual Christmas in the Mountains each December and two spring concerts. In April the choir joins the members of the Shrine of the Ages Choir to perform major choral works with the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra. Auditions are held in late August and early January. Check the Master Chorale website at www.masterchorale.net for more audition details and the choir’s performance schedule.
Ensemble Auditions
Students are placed in the appropriate choir by the choral faculty. Placement is based upon tone quality, tonal memory, sight-reading ability, year in school, and personnel needs of each choral group.
Men’s Chorale, Women’s Chorale, University Singers
Students interested in participating in one of the three choral ensembles
listed above should first register for the course. Prior to
the beginning of the fall semester, ensemble directors will contact
each student that appears on their rosters by email to set up a seven-minute
audition time. Auditions for Men’s Chorale, Women’ Chorale
and University Singers will be held the weekend prior to classes
in August.
Components of a Choral Audition:
- give a brief history of singing experience
- vocalize
- sing back short melodies played on the piano
- sing “My Country Tis of Thee”
- sight-read a basic example
Transfer students interested in auditioning for the Shrine of the Ages Choir should contact Dr. Edith Copley at 928-523-2299 or Edith.Copley@nau.edu.
Students interested in auditioning for the vocal jazz ensembles should contact Dr. Ryan Holder at 928-523-2748 or Ryan.Holder@nau.edu.
Scholarship Opportunities
Scholarship opportunities are available from a variety of sources to assist students with college expenses. If you are a graduating high school senior, your school counselor or college-planning advisor can give you information about common scholarships and student loan packages that are available to college students. Be sure to check with national directories of scholarship information, with community-based and social organizations in your area, and with your parents' employers for specific scholarships that may be available to you.
The Choral/Vocal Areas at NAU have a number of scholarships established to assist students who are bachelor of music, choral music education, or vocal performance majors. Click [Here] to visit the School of Music scholarship page
Vocal Audition Information
All students planning to major in music, with voice as their primary instrument, must audition and be accepted into the School of Music before they may register for any music courses.
The following steps are to be taken to complete the audition process:
1. Please call the Choral Studies office at 928-523-5190 to schedule an on-campus audition time. Auditions for acceptance in the fall semester are held the second weekend in February and first weekend in March. Auditions for acceptance in the spring semester are held in October.
2. Prepare two contrasting classical vocal solos. It is preferable that one be in a foreign language. Both selections should be memorized. Solos chosen for the audition should be classical, i.e. Italian aria or art song, German lied, French chanson, or American folksong. No musical theatre or pop music, please.
3. Practice your sight-reading skills and know your key signatures! The audition will include at least two sight-singing examples.
4. The vocal audition will also include a series of tonal memory exercises that will be played once on the piano. You will be asked to sing these melodic patterns using a neutral vowel.
5. Students who have taken piano lessons will be asked to demonstrate their keyboard skills at the vocal audition. It is recommended that students bring a selection that demonstrates their proficiency level at the keyboard.
6. Your School of Music application, a copy of your resume and letters of recommendation should be sent to the NAU School of Music office prior to your voice audition.
7. Come to the NAU campus for your audition; an accompanist will be provided. Please bring a copy of both solo selections for the accompanist. Additional copies for the voice faculty will not be needed.
Formal letters of acceptance into the NAU School of Music program and/or scholarship awards will be mailed at the end of March.
How to apply to the School of Music
We look forward to seeing you!