ISSUED: 22 October 2013
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — The Shepherd University Department of Music is scheduled to host its first choral and vocal symposium Friday, November 1 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Local high school choral teachers were invited to participate with one choral ensemble to receive assistance with their programs and connect with colleagues.
During this free event, the department will offer seminars and workshops for students and teachers. Topics include vocal health in the high school music program, preparing for a college audition, careers in music, coaching and master classes in aria, art song and musical theater, roundtable discussions on vocal and choral music in the high school, and choral clinics with the choirs working on their repertoire.
Shepherd offers degrees in music and music education and areas of concentration in performance, musical theater,piano pedagogy, and composition. The Department of Music’s mission is to challenge its students to reach their potential by providing extraordinary experiences. Music majors have myriad performance opportunities, including four choirs, wind ensemble, wind symphony, orchestra, chamber groups, two jazz bands, marching band, an opera every fall, and musical theater every spring.
Shepherd music students have the opportunity to study with the region’s most experienced performers and educators. Master classes are regularly offered with nationally acclaimed guest artists while touring the region. As a result of the high quality ensembles, Shepherd’s students are invited to perform at a number of venues. They have received invitations to Giants Stadium, the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, cathedrals around the world, and Carnegie Hall in New York.
The jazz ensemble and members of the vocal ensembles toured England in 2007, and the wind ensemble and chamber choir toured Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic in 2009 and Spain in 2011. The wind ensemble and the chorus went to Paris, the Cote d’Azur, and Monte Carlo in the spring.
For more information, contact Dr. Erik Jones, director of choral activities at Shepherd, at 304-876-5371 or ejones04@shepherd.edu.
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