Baylor School of Music Presents Women’s Choir Festival

Follow us on Twitter: @BaylorUMedia

Media contact: Terry Goodrich, (254) 710-3321

WACO, Texas (March 3, 2015) – The Baylor University Women’s Choir and female vocalists from local high schools will join talents as part of the 11th annual Women’s Choir Festival Concert at 5 p.m. Thursday, March 5, in Jones Concert Hall.

“This event provides advocacy and support for young, budding artists,” said Dinah Menger, director of the Women’s Choir and a lecturer in choral music in Baylor’s School of Music. “Those who attend will get to hear powerful music that advocates the strength of young women.”

The event begins at 9 a.m., when girls from local high schools arrive at Baylor for a day of music education. They will participate in classes taught by Baylor music education majors, sectionals, a luncheon and a tour of the campus. At the end of the day, they will join the Baylor Women’s Choir for a concert, performing the music they learned throughout the day.

“This event was designed to celebrate women’s choirs,” said Michelle Henry, Ph.D., an associate professor of choral music education and event organizer. “There are many female singers in high schools who are not always part of preeminent ensembles, but this is a way to feature these young girls. It is also a chance for our music education majors to teach real students and see their musical efforts come to fruition.”

The concert will open with “Laudate Dominum” by Z. Randall Stroop and “Veniki” by Feodosiy Rubtsov, sung by the Women’s Choir. Vocalists from local high schools will join the Women’s Choir to close the program, performing “Hope is the Thing with Feathers” by Susan LaBarr, “Famine Song” arranged by Matthew Culloton and “Still I Rise” by Rosephayne Powell.

The Baylor Women’s Choir consists of 56 vocalists. Five soloists from the School of Music’s department of vocal studies will be highlighted, performing pieces from “Don Pasquale” and “Linda di Chamounix.”

The concert is free and open to the public. Jones Concert Hall is located within the Glennis McCrary Music Building at 110 Baylor Ave.

For more information, call the Baylor University School of Music at 254-710-3991 or click here.
.

by Ashton Brown, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC

The Baylor University School of Music provides transformational experiences that prepare students for careers in music. Our students thrive in a Christian environment characterized by a nurturing resident faculty, an unwavering pursuit of musical excellence, a global perspective, dedication to service, and devotion to faith. They investigate the rich musical and cultural heritage of the past, develop superior musical skills and knowledge in the present, and explore and create new modes of musical expression for the future. While preparing for future leadership roles, the students join with School of Music faculty in enhancing the quality of community life, enriching the larger culture, and making Baylor a place in which heart, mind and soul coalesce. The School of Music of Baylor University is a member of the National Association of Schools of Music and the Texas Association of Music Schools. Degree programs leading to the bachelor of music education degree conform to certification requirements of the Texas Education Agency.