Chamber Singers earn 2nd place in American Prize competition
calendar icon29 Sep 2022
Lincoln, Neb.--The Glenn Korff School of Music’s Chamber Singers, under the direction of Assistant Professor of Music in Choral Activities Marques L.A. Garrett, won second place in The American Prize in choral performance in the college/university division (larger program) for 2022.
“It’s an honor for us to place at such a level at an early stage for this era of the Chamber Singers,” Garrett said. “It shows that we produce good quality performances and places us in the ranks of other wonderful schools of music like the other winners in our category (University of North Texas and Boise State University).”
In their recorded submission, the Chamber Singers performed “Amazing Grace,” “How Stands the Glass Around?”, “O magnum mysterium,” “O Praise the Lord,” “Rivers of Delight” and “Rock de Cradle, Mary.”
“These recordings represent the choir from fall 2018 through spring 2021,” Garrett said.
Founded in 2009, The American Prize is an annual national competition in the performing arts providing cash awards; professional adjudication; and regional, national and international recognition for the best recorded performances by ensembles and individuals each year in the U.S. at the professional, college/university, church, community and secondary school levels.
The Chamber Singers is the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s vocal chamber ensemble. It is intended to provide the highest level of choral chamber-specific performance experience for graduate and undergraduate singers at the Glenn Korff School of Music and throughout the university.
The choir explores a broad range of repertoire specializing in literature for unaccompanied and contemporary small vocal chamber ensembles including works from early music eras and contemporary literature. The Chamber Singers have performed for and worked with many guest conductors and composers including Ola Gjeilo, André Thomas, Mack Wilberg, Doreen Rao, William Hatcher and Eph Ehly, and in performance collaboration with The American Boychoir.
The Chamber Singers, along with University Singers, completed a choral tour of France in May.