Department of Music

The University Singers, the University of Virginia’s flagship choral ensemble, will take its first concert tour since a 2015 international tour, appearing this January 2017 across the Southeastern U.S.  The ensemble will present a program of a cappella and accompanied works featuring Jake Runestad’s “Come to the Woods” on a text by naturalist John Muir, an excerpt from the Rachmaninoff Vespers, Whitacre’s “Sainte-Chapelle,” a choral selection from Disney’s Frozen, and traditional songs arranged by Stephen Paulus, William Dawson, and Ralph Vaughan Williams.  The Chamber Singers also appear, singing “How are Things in Glocca Morra” and the Agnus Dei from Byrd’s Mass for 5 voices.

Led by UVA faculty conductor Michael Slon, the ensemble will perform in Raleigh, Nashville, Atlanta, Gainesville (FL), Orlando, Charleston, and Fredericksburg (VA), and will also hold several workshops with high school musicians.  UVA alumni are especially encouraged to join us, and UVA Singers alumni in attendance will be able to join the Singers on stage for the traditional UVA songs.

The University Singers is the premier mixed-voice chorus at UVa, and recently gave acclaimed performances of Handel’s Messiah, Poulenc’s Gloria, Beethoven’s Symphony #9, and Bach’s St. John Passion in Charlottesville.  In the past few years, the group has also sung for Les Misérables creators Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil during their UVA residency, performed before 10,000 at the Kevin Spacey President’s Arts Speaker event, and taken a two-week concert tour of England, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Austria.  Founded in 1957, the group performs a cappella and accompanied choral literature ranging from chant to major choral-orchestral works, and the works of contemporary composers – including premieres of works by Stephen Paulus, Forrest Pierce, Judith Shatin, and Eric Whitacre.  Recent United States tours have take the group to Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Charleston, Chicago, Cincinnati, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Providence, and the National Cathedral in Washington D.C.  The group has also been heard on previous European tours in Italy, Belgium, Germany, Russia, and Switzerland.  Other choral program highlights have included: concerts and workshops with Bobby McFerrin and Meredith Monk, a performance for Hillary Clinton, selection to perform for the 2010 Virginia Music Educators Association (VMEA) Conference, a 2012 workshop with members of the Tallis Scholars, a 2014 performance for Philip Glass, and frequent collaborations with the Charlottesville Symphony, including the popular Family Holiday Concerts.  And this December, the UVA Holiday Greeting featuring the University Singers has set a new UVA record, receiving more than 300,000 views in just the first two days. 

Students in the University Singers come from UVA's six undergraduate schools, including Arts and Sciences, Education, and Engineering, as well as several of the University's graduate and professional schools. While approximately 25-30% are music majors, the ensemble is open to any student by audition, and is a for-credit curricular class. Together, members enjoy an esprit de corps that arises from the pursuit of musical excellence, and the camaraderie the singers develop offstage. 

The complete tour itinerary follows.  A freewill donation will be taken at most of the tour concerts.  For more information please call (434) 924-3052 or visit: www.music.virginia.edu/usingers

To see the University Singers new promotional video, visit: https://youtu.be/BDe08BXEFjI

To see the UVA Holiday Greetings with the University Singers, visit:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knQWE8li9cM&t=32s
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UniversityofVirginia/

UVa University Singers January 2017 Southeast U.S. Concert Tour:
(A freewill donation will be taken at most concerts.)  

Thursday January 5, 2017: 
Concert, 8:00 pm
Holy Trinity Anglican Church
100 East Peace Street
Raleigh, NC, 27604
Local contact: Abigail Hull, abigailhull@gmail.com

Saturday January 7, 2017
Concert, 4:00 pm
First Presbyterian Church
4815 Franklin Pike
Nashville, TN, 37220
Contact for housing students: Anna Thornton, anna.thornton@comcast.net

Sunday January 8, 2017
Concert, 6:00 pm
The Lovett School
4075 Paces Ferry Rd NW
Atlanta, GA, 30327
Local contact: Jerry Ulrich, julrich@gatech.edu
Contact for housing students: Kathy Lee, kathylee77@comcast.net

Monday January 9, 2017
Concert, 7:30 pm
First United Methodist Church
419 N.E. First Street
Gainesville, FL, 32601
Local contact: Kyle Webber, kylewebber@firstchurchgainesville.com

Tuesday January 10, 2017:
Workshop, 1:30 pm
Lake Highland Preparatory School
901 Highland Ave.
Orlando, FL 32803
Local contact: Chris Greening, cgreening@lhps.org
Contact for housing students: Sheila Keiner, sheilakeiner@gmail.com

Tuesday January 10, 2017:
Concert, 7:30 pm
First United Methodist Church of Orlando
142 E Jackson St.
Orlando, FL 32801

Thursday January 12, 2017:
Concert, 7:00 pm
St. John’s Lutheran Church
5 Clifford St.
Charleston, SC 29401
Local contact: Todd Monsell, toddmonsell@gmail.com
Contact for housing students: Charlotte Rowe, clr3va@virginia.edu

Friday January 13, 2017:
Concert, 7:30 pm
St. George’s Episcopal Church
905 Princess Anne St.
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Local contact: John.Vreeland@stgeorgesepiscopal.net