University Chorale

James K. Bass, Conductor

The University Chorale is devoted to excellent performance of choral music. The ensemble is selected by audition from Western Michigan University's enrollment of 25,000 students. The Chorale's annual performance itinerary includes concerts and festivals on the WMU campus, appearances in neighboring communities and churches, tours within the U.S., and an international tour every third year.

The University Chorale performed the opening concert at Ann Arbor's Midwestern Music Conference in January 2001, and in November of the same year, joined with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra to perform Handel's Dixit Dominus as the opening concert for the first Michigan Festival of Sacred Music. In 2002, Chorale became the first choir from the United States to receive the Grand Prize at the Robert Schumann International Choral Competition. The following February, the ensemble presented three solo performances at the 2003 ACDA National Convention in New York City. In May 2004, Chorale was featured on the opening concert of the Irving S. Gilmore International Keyboard Festival performing Stravinsky's Svadebka, and in October, at the 2004 ACDA Michigan State Convention in Grand Rapids. In May 2005, Chorale won the Silver Medal at the 28th International May Choir Competition, part of the prestigious European Grand Prix for Choral Singing series of competitions.

Chorale members also sing in Western Michigan University's 180-voice Grand Chorus which has performed major works with the University Symphony, Kalamazoo Symphony, Detroit Symphony, and Battle Creek Symphony. Chorale is one of nine vocal ensembles in the School of Music at Western Michigan University, including the Collegiate Singers, Women's Chorus, Men's Ensemble, Grand Chorus, Gold Company, GC II, Opera Workshop, and Collegium Musicum.

Choral Studies home page

Contact: James Bass
Phone: (269) 387-4715