UW-La Crosse Concert Choir
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History of the Concert Choir
The UW-La Crosse Concert Choir, one of six student choral ensembles representing the UW-L Music Department, was founded in 1993 by its current conductor, Gary Kent Walth. The 68-voice ensemble consists of students representing many academic areas of the UW-L campus. While a majority of the Choir‘s members come from high schools in Wisconsin and Minnesota, the ensemble frequently includes international students, most recently from the nations of Germany, Japan, England, Senegal and Ghana. The Choir has been invited to perform at both state and regional American Choral Directors Association and Music Education National Conferences and has performed at festivals in Washington D. C. and in New York City. In 1996 the Concert Choir and Symphony Orchestra appeared in concerts in France, Switzerland, Germany and Austria. In 2002, the Concert Choir sang in churches and concert halls in England and Scotland, including concerts at the Grosvernor Chapel, London, Exeter College Chapel, Oxford and St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh.
Gary Kent Walth, the conductor of the Concert Choir is also the Director of Choral Music Studies and Chair of the UW-L Music Department. A graduate of Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, Walth received both a Masters of Music and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. An award-winning composer, Dr. Walth’s recently completed musical “If These Walls Could Talk” had its premiere performance, in a concert version, at the end of January. He has appeared as a guest conductor and lecturer throughout the United States and Canada, and most recently in England and Scotland.
Concert Choir officers 2006-2007
Abby Spiegelhoff, (Burlington, WI) President
Stephanie Rupnow, (Neenah, WI) Vice President
Sarah Holmes,
(Janesville, WI) Secretary
Kevin Delray, (Sheboygan, WI) Treasurer
Mark Earleywine, (Brodhead, WI) Choir Manager
Kirsten Nywall, (Wisconsin Rapids, WI) Past President
Membership in the Concert Choir
Auditions for the Choir are on the Sunday and Monday before Fall classes begin. Students register for the Choir before the auditions take place so that the rehearsal time is included in their class schedule. The auditions include the singing of an excerpt from the upcoming repertoire as well as sight singing. The audition process includes “call-backs” throughout the first week of classes.
2006-2007 Performances
Oct. 4 (Wed.) Oktoberfest Heritage Night, 5 PM, La Crosse Center
Oct. 20 (Fri.) Fall Choral Concerts, 7 & 8:30 PM, Annett RH
Nov. 7 (Tues.) New Music Festival, 7:30 PM, Annett RH
Dec. 2 & 3 (Sat. & Sun.) Festival of Carols, 7:30 PM, Toland Th.
March 6, (Tues.) Winter Choral Concert, Annett RH
March 10-14, (Sat. - Wed.) Spring Tour
March 23 & 24 (Fri. & Sat.) Pop’s Concert, 7:30 PM La Crosse Center
May 3 (Thurs.), Festival of Three Choirs, 7:30 PM Toland Theatre
Concert Choir Performances
The Concert Choir performs 6-10 times during the Fall semester including performances at the Fall Choral Concerts, Oktoberfest Heritage Night, Homecoming football game, New Music Festival, Festival of Carols, and at the Chancellor’s Holiday Luncheon. Performances during the Spring semester include the bi-annual Bach Concert, the mid-Winter Concert, the Pop’s Concerts and the Annual Three Choirs Festival. The Concert Choir also performs at local churches.
A major tour is scheduled every four years. The Choir completed a concert tour in France and Germany in May of 2006 which included concerts in Epinal and Plombieres, France and Frankfurt (Hochschule für Musik and Erfurt, (Augustinian Monastery), Germany. The next International tour is scheduled for 2010 at selected sites in Ireland, Scotland and England. Regional tours at high schools, churches and concert halls are scheduled on years not including international travel.
Most recent Concert Choir repertoire
2006-2007 Concert Season (in progress)
- RIU, RIU, CHIU, Spanish Carol, arr. Greenberg
- AVE VERUM, William Byrd
- MOTET II, Der Geist hilft unserer Schwac hheit auf, Johann Sebastian Bach
- AT THE ROUND EARTH’S IMAGINED CORNERS. Williametta Spencer
- FANTASIA ON CHRISTMAS CAROLS, Ralph Vaughan Williams
- TROIS CHANSONS, Maurice Ravel
- TRES CANTOS NATIVOS DOS INDIOS KRAO, arr. Marcos Leite
- STABAT MATER, Pierre-Emmanuel Kuntz
- EVENING PRAYER, E, Humperdinck, arr. Phil Mattson
- THIS IS THE DAY, Gary Kent Walth
- CINDY, American Folksong, arr. Mack Wilberg
- KEEP YOUR LAMPS, Spiritual, arr. Andre Thomas
- LITTLE POTATO, Malcolm Dalglish, arr. Carol Barnett
- MOUTH MUSIC, Delores Keane/John Faulkner
- MY SOUL’S BEEN ANCHORED IN THE LORD, Spiritual, arr. Moses Hogan
- OBEY THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD, Spiritual, arr. Gary Kent Walth
The Concert Choir performing at the 14th annual Festival of Carols, 12/3/06
WICKED ladies at Kirsten Nywall's Senior Recital
Pres. Abby Galstad gives instructions for the next event
Bass Nick Hartmann, Brookfield, gets his turn in the circle
A few Concert Choir members relaxing during a Fall bike ride
on the Mississippi
Some Concert Choir members studying Luther's 95 thesis at the
Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany