- 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 department is comprised of over 340 participants in eight ensembles. The energy generated by these singers makes NAU a very exciting place to sing. In addition, the choral department features an outstanding handbell choir which performs on five-octave sets of Malmark bells and chimes. All the choirs in the department perform on campus each semester. Shrine of the Ages Choir tours regionally, nationally, and internationally on a rotating basis. All the choirs in the department tour the state or region each year.
Choral Ensembles
The Shrine of the Ages Choir and Chamber Singers are select choral ensembles offering upper-division music majors and non-music majors an opportunity to pursue intensive study of choral music. The Shrine of the Ages Choir has received national recognition with performances at the Western Division and National Conventions of the American Choral Directors Association. In 1993 the Chamber Singers received international recognition when they competed in the prestigious International Chamber Choir Competition in Marktoberdorf, Germany. NAU was the only North American choir chosen from eighty-one choirs worldwide who applied to compete.
Five other outstanding choral ensembles are also open to students of all majors attending NAU: University Singers, Men’s Chorale, Women’s Chorale, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and Master Chorale of Flagstaff.
In preparation for the holiday season, NAU students and Flagstaff community members join the Oratorio Chorus to produce the annual presentation of Handel’s Messiah. In the spring semester, students may audition for the Conductor’s Chorus, which performs varied repertoire for graduate student lecture recitals
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, graduate assistantships for students pursuing undergraduate degrees in choral music education, vocal performance, and graduate degrees in choral conducting. (click for pictures of past Holiday Dinners)
Tours
The spring term includes on-campus performances by all of the NAU choral ensembles and the annual tour of the Shrine of the Ages Choir. Shrine toured the Peoples Republic of China in 1998. The Chamber Singers toured Italy, Switzerland, and Germany in 2000. All NAU choral ensembles conduct state and regional tours on a rotational basis.
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, and 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 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
Dr. Judith Cloud, Voice Division Chair
Margaret Gunderson, Voice
Elias Mokole, Voice
Ricardo Pereira, Voice
Deborah Raymond, Voice
Nando Schellen, Opera
Performance Opportunities
Oratorio Chorus rehearses during November each year for the annual voice scholarship fund-raiser production of Handel’s Messiah. The choir is comprised of community members, faculty, staff, and students. The choral ensemble and outstanding student soloists are accompanied by chamber orchestra.
Shrine of the Ages Choir is a large, select, mixed ensemble of sophomore through graduate singers chosen by audition. The choir is dedicated to the study and performance of outstanding choral repertoire. The Shrine of the Ages Choir has been featured at national and regional American Choral Directors Association conventions and has produced several CD recordings.
Chamber Singers is a small, select ensemble of undergraduate and graduate singers that performs challenging repertoire from the Renaissance to the twentieth century. In the summer of 1993, the choir competed at the prestigious international competition in Marktoberdorf, Germany. In summer 2000 the choir toured Germany, Italy and Switzerland.
University Singers is a mixed chorus of undergraduate and graduate students who represent various majors throughout the University. The ensemble performs a wide variety of choral literature, including multicultural repertoire.
Men’s Chorale enjoys widespread popularity with its thrilling sonorities unique to the male chorus. The ensemble is open to music majors and non-majors from all areas of the University by audition.
Women’s Chorale is open to music majors and non-majors from all disciplines across the University by audition. The ensemble performs a wide variety of distinctive repertoire for women’s voices.
Vocal Jazz Ensemble offers an opportunity for in-depth study of vocal jazz in a variety of styles. The choir is open to undergraduate and graduate students by select audition and performs frequently on and off campus.
Harter Memorial Handbell Choir 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. Each ensemble performs on campus throughout the year, including the annual Choral Holiday Dinner, and participates in state and regional conventions and festivals.
Master Chorale of Flagstaff, an auditioned 110-voice ensemble of community singers, as well as faculty, students, and staff, performs annual Christmas and spring concerts. In addition, it joins 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.
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.
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 Program at NAU has a number of scholarships established to assist students who are choral music education or vocal performance majors.
Click [Here] to visit the School of Music scholarship page
Vocal Audition Information
The following is what will be expected of you in your vocal
audition:
1. Prepare two contrasting classical vocal solos. One should be in a foreign language. Both selections should be memorized. Pieces selected should be classical, no musical theatre or pop.
2. Practice your sight-reading skills! The audition will include at least two sight-singing examples. The audition will also include a series of tonal memory exercises.
3. Ask your choral director and/or voice teacher to write a letter of recommendation and bring this with you to the audition.
4. Come to the NAU campus for your audition; an accompanist will be provided. All scholarships will be announced in late March.
How to apply to the School of Music
We look forward to seeing you!