The a cappella choirs of Shepherd University under the direction of Dr. Rachel Carlson, together with special guests Jefferson High School Chamber Choir, will present a Spring Choral Concert on Friday, April 1 at 8:00 p.m. in the Frank Arts Center Theater.
The Jefferson High School Chamber Choir, under the direction of Shepherd alumnus, Mr. Joel Ziler, will perform Daemon Irrepit Callidus by György Orbàn, Alleluia by Randall Thompson, and “I Got Shoes” as arranged by Alice Parker and Robert Shaw. Mr. Ziler graduated from Shepherd University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Music Education in Choral Studies.
The Shepherd Women’s Camerata will perform an arrangement by Walter Barrie of Michael Este’s How Merrily We Live, Rise Up, My Love by Eleanor Daley, Laudate Pueri Dominum by Felix Mendelssohn, Tota pulchra es, from Quatre Motets by Maurice Duruflé, and an arrangement by Clifton J. Noble, Jr. of Hold On. The Shepherd Chamber Singers will perform If ye love me by Thomas Tallis, Flora gave me fairest flowers by John Wilbye, Anton Bruckner’s Locus Iste, and Trois Chansons de Charles d’Orléans by Claude Debussy.
Dr. Rachel Carlson is the Visiting Director of Choral Activities at Shepherd University and conductor of the Shepherd University Chamber Singers, Women’s Camerata, and Masterworks Chorale. In addition to conducting, she teaches choral methods and conducting classes. She founded and serves as Artistic Director of Six Degree Singers, a community choir based in Silver Spring, MD, and serves as Assistant Conductor of the Washington Master Chorale. In 2014, Dr. Carlson was nominated for a Wammie (Washington Area Music Award) for best Classical Conductor/ Director. Dr. Carlson has toured extensively with professional choirs across the country, appearing as a soprano soloist with the Washington Master Chorale, Washington Bach Consort, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Oregon Bach Festival, True Concord Voices and Orchestra, Vox Humana, and Washington Revels and as a professional choral singer with Conspirare and the Manhattan Chorale. Carlson holds Bachelor’s degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Education from the University of Maryland, a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a DMA in Choral Conducting from the University of Maryland.
The Shepherd Chamber Singers is a mostly a cappella ensemble, concentrating in masterpieces of the 20th century. The ensemble is made up of between 20 and 24 students each year. While most of the members are vocal majors, other music majors and students from around the campus are welcome to audition. Shepherd University’s Women’s Camerata is an ensemble of 30-35 female singers, comprised of voice majors, music majors, and many students from other disciplines at Shepherd University.
For more information call 304-876-5555.