Department of Music

Enjoy the music of yesteryear and today with an eclectic mix of Broadway, Spiritual, Classical, and New Age music performed by the Virginia Women’s Chorus during their 37th annual spring concert, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, on Saturday, April 9 at 3:30 pm in Old Cabell Hall at the University of Virginia.

The rousing spiritual “Ain’t No Grave Can Hold My Body Down” and several other selections will feature Art Wheeler on keyboards and Pete Spaar on bass. The chorus will sing a stirring rendition of “Mama Who Bore Me” from the musical Spring Awakening and a somber version of “Down in the River to Pray”. Selections from the hauntingly beautiful music from "Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary" will fill the hall with text-less sounds. Karl Jenkins, the Welsh composer of the Adiemus projects, explains: “I conceived Songs of Sa nctuary in the European classical tradition, but it was my intention that the vocal sound should be more akin to those heard in ethnic or world music.”

The Virginia Women's Chorus, conducted by Katherine Mitchell, is committed to excellence in the performance of classical, contemporary and diverse music from the challenging choral literature for women's voices. The Chorus seeks to inspire in the choral art form through the celebration of women’s repertoire. Founded in 1974, the Chorus is the University’s oldest female singing ensemble and has the distinction of singing at several conventions of the American Choral Director’s Association. The ensemble is student-run and continues to uphold its tradition of exceptional music. Accolades come from many concert-goers and include comments such as this: “The concert was stunningly beautiful, sensitively programmed and a musical treat of the highest order. It really was quite amazing.”

Admission to the concert is $15 for Adults and $5 for Students and may be purchased from the Arts Box Office at http://tickets.artsboxoffice.virginia.edu and by phone at (434)924-3376. They will also be available on the Lawn from 10 AM – 2 PM the week of the concert, April 4 – 8. The Virginia Women’s Chorus is affiliated with the McIntire Department of Music and the concert is sponsored by the Parent’s Fund and the Virginia Women’s Chorus Alumnae and Friends. For more information contact Courtney Macdowell at or Chelsea Churchill at .