Vocal Ensembles

Concert Chorale

The Concert Chorale is an auditioned choral ensemble of 50 singers comprised of both music majors and non-music majors. This group of dedicated musicians performs a wide variety of choral music from all historical and stylistic genres. Touring annually, the Concert Chorale presents a fall concert and a spring concert for the community each year and has traveled to Europe on several occasions. It performs major works regularly with the St. Joseph Community Chorus and Symphony.

Email: dbenz@missouriwestern.edu

Community Chorus

The St. Joseph Community Chorus, Dr. David Benz, Artistic Director, was founded in 1980 and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. The Chorus presents interesting, challenging, and diverse programs of choral music from classical to contemporary throughout the Midwestern United States. This ensemble is the largest all-volunteer performing organization in Northwest Missouri and enjoys a rich history of outstanding choral performances in many beautiful settings.

In addition to its three-concert season, the Chorus collaborates regularly with the St. Joseph Symphony. For the past several years, the chorus has performed fall exchange concerts with another community chorus. Two holiday concerts are presented annually in the St. Joseph Cathedral and feature favorite works of the Christmas season. The chorus is frequently asked to perform for various celebrations and memorable occasions.

In 1996, the chorus toured Great Britain performing several concerts in the cathedrals of England and Wales. This tour included a performance for the Rotary Festival in Colchester, England, our sister city. In the summer of 2001, SJCC was honored to receive two unique invitations. Eighty-eight of the chorus’ 110 voices traveled to the state 2002 MMEA convention to perform as one of eleven choruses on the convention program. Forty-four choristers toured to perform in Budapest, Vienna and Prague and participated in the 2002 International Choral Festival in Innsbruck, Austria.

From within the chorus, a select Chamber Choir was created in 1987. It performs a wide variety of chamber choral music for numerous events besides presenting a spring concert as part of the season series. This past season, the Chamber Choir presented a Victorian Madrigal Feast that benefits the Endowed Scholarship established in 2000. This chamber ensemble is invited frequently to perform at public and private events during the year and will perform on each of the chorus’ three subscription concerts.

The St. Joseph Community Chorus always strives to adhere to its mission statement that is to foster the enjoyment and appreciation of good choral music among its membership and the community at large by providing an organization of the highest musical caliber to present exceptional performances of choral literature. We take pride in the fact that we regularly involve over ninety singers from Northwest Missouri in the creative process of singing together. The chorus is a significant musical ensemble helping to bring the college and community together in an artistically meaningful way.

Vocal Jazz Ensemble

This MUS 341 course is designed to give singers experience in the style of jazz singing in both ensemble and solo formats. The singers in the course will learn jazz style, scat improvisation, introduction to charts/chording, song forms, performance processes/etiquette, and the use of electronic sound reinforcement. Meets three hours per week. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in a major choral ensemble and departmental approval.

Renaissance & Chamber Singers

The MWSU Renaissance/Chamber Singers is an auditioned ensemble made up of singers majoring in a wide variety of subjects. During the fall semester the Renaissance Singers focus on learning and performing early secular and sacred choral literature. Spring semester features the Chamber Singers, an ensemble that sings music from all genres. The Chamber Singers recently performed J. S. Bach’s cantata 106 Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit. they were also invited to perform with the St. Joseph Symphony in the performance of Karl Jenkins Armed Man: Mass for Peace. The Renaissance Singers have performed annually at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival in Bonner Springs, KS since its inception in 1980. Fall 2010 semester marked the first music festival and competition and the Renaissance Singers were awarded 1st place.

The Renaissance and Chamber Singers frequently perform at community functions, area public schools, and have been invited for the last three years to perform at Heartland Regional Medical Center’s Celebration of Life.

Dr. Roger Hale, director
Ara Ju, piano

Email: rhale2@missouriwestern.edu 

University Men's Chorus

This MUS 142 course is a non-auditioned vocal ensemble open to all men that focuses on healthy development of the singing voice. Music performed includes selections from all stylistic genres. Number of concerts may vary by semester. Students are financially responsible for appropriate concert attire. Three hours per week.

University Women's Chorus

This MUS 143 course is a non-auditioned vocal ensemble open to all women that focuses on healthy development of the singing voice. Music performed includes selections from all stylistic genres. Number of concerts may vary by semester. Students are financially responsible for appropriate concert attire. Three hours per week.

Opera Workshop

Providing workshops in staged music productions each fall and spring semesters, the MUS 318 course is available by audition to all MW students, singer and non-singer alike.

Directed by Susan Carter, D.M.A., each actor/singer experiences the wonder of performing on stage with costumes, sets and orchestra. Past works have included full productions of Menotti's The Medium, The Telephone, Barber's Hand of Bridge on the main stage and scenes from Sondheim's Into the Woods, performed for the MWSU Foundation dinner.