The University of North Texas A Cappella Choir is led by Dr. Jerry McCoy, director of choral studies. The 46-voice choir, selected by competitive auditions from the more than 1,700 music majors within the College of Music, is the premier ensemble in the UNT choral program comprised of seven choirs and a Collegium Musicum. Founded in 1938 by Wilfred Bain, the choir has enjoyed a rich performance history including a three-month tour of Europe under the sponsorship of the US Department of State in 1966. The choir was featured on the closing concert of the 2005 ACDA national convention in Los Angeles and on the 1999 national convention in Chicago, as well as on the program of the 9th Annual Taipei International Choral Festival in 2009, and the national convention of NCCO held in Cincinnati in 2008. The choir has made numerous appearances for TMEA and the ACDA Southwestern Division.
The Chamber Choir consists of between 24 and 32 students and is conducted by Dr. Richard Sparks. The Chamber Choir will explore the wide variety of music written for such an ensemble, with works such as Carissimi's Jephte Sandstrom’s Agnus Dei and Brahms’ Zigeunerlieder.
Comprised of 75 voices and conducted by Dr. Alan McClung, the University of North Texas Concert Choir is one of UNT's highly accomplished choirs. Open to students in all majors, full auditions are held in August, the week prior to the beginning of the academic year. To fill second semester openings, a second round of auditions is held in December. In addition to performances for schools, professional conferences, the metroplex community, and the University, Concert Choir combines annually with the UNT Grand Chorus to present extended works with orchestra. Recent performances include Brahms' Requiem, Mozart's Coronation Mass, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Mahler's Second Symphony, Orff's Carmina Burana, Britten's War Requiem, and Beethoven's Mass in C. For audition and performance information, contact Dr. McClung at 940-369-7936 or alan.mcclung@unt.edu.
Collegium Singers, conducted by Richard Sparks is a chamber choir dedicated to period performance, usually in collaboration with UNT's fine and extensive early music program. The choir consists of members of the other student choirs, plus graduate students in voice or early music. Repertoire is extensive, from the renaissance through this season's 1610 Vespers of Monteverdi performed with baroque period instruments.
The University of North Texas Grand Chorus is comprised of over 150 singers drawn from the A Cappella Choir, Concert Choir and Chamber Choir as well as other interested individuals. The Grand Chorus has a distinguished history of performing under the leadership of many of the worlds' most highly respected orchestral conductors. The late Georg Solti called the UNT Grand Chorus one of America's best choirs. The Grand Chorus sings annually with the UNT Symphony Orchestra, UNT Chamber Orchestra, UNT Wind Symphony and/or regional symphonies. Over the past few seasons the choir has given performances of Rachmaninoff'sVespers, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, Mahler's Symphony No. 2, Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms, Mozart's Coronation Mass, Mozart's Requiem, Britten's War Requiem, and Beethoven's Mass in C. April 2003 saw the performance and commercial recording of Orff's Carmina Burana in a new complete edition for Wind Symphony, Choir and soloists. The compact disc is available from Klavier Records and the DVD is available from the UNT College of Music.
The University of North Texas Men's Chorus is open to tenors and basses interested in singing challenging music in a variety of styles. Men's Chorus personnel come from diverse backgrounds, including both music majors and non-music majors. An audition is not required for enrollment in Men's Chorus. Placement in appropriate sections will occur after individual voicing during the first week of classes. For more information, contact David Edmonds at davidedmonds@my.unt.edu.
The University of North Texas Women's Chorus consists of 80 voices and is open to sopranos and altos interested in singing challenging music in a variety of styles.Women's Chorus personnel come from diverse backgrounds, including both music majors and non-music majors. An audition is not required for enrollment in Women's Chorus. Placement in appropriate sections will occur after individual voicing during the first week of classes.For more information, contact Nathan Frank at Nathanafrank@aol.com.
Ensembles
Faculty-Conducted Choirs
A CAPPELLA CHOIR, Jerry McCoy, conductor
Monday 2:00 - 3:30 PM
Tuesday 6:00 - 8:00 PM*
Wednesday 2:00 - 3:30 PM
Thursday 2:00 - 2:50 PM
CHAMBER CHOIR , Richard Sparks, conductor
Monday 2:00 - 3:30 PM
Tuesday 6:00 - 8:00 PM*
Wednesday 2:00 - 3:30 PM
Thursday 2:00 - 2:50 PM
CONCERT CHOIR, Alan McClung, conductor
Monday 1:00 - 1:50 PM
Tuesday 1:00 - 1:50 PM; 6:00 - 8:00 PM*
Wednesday 1:00 - 1:50 PM
Thursday 1:00 - 1:50 PM
COLLEGIUM SINGERS, Richard Sparks, conductor
Tuesday 2:00 - 2:50 PM
Friday 1:00 - 2:50 PM
GRAND CHORUS , Jerry McCoy, conductor
Tuesday 6:00 - 8:00 PM
*The singers of A Cappella Choir, Chamber Choir and Concert Choir comprise the GRAND CHORUS, and must be available for combined rehearsals on Tuesday evenings as scheduled. Normally, only a few evenings are required each semester; these will be included in the schedule of rehearsals and performances distributed at the first rehearsal of each ensemble.
Student-Conducted Choirs
MEN'S CHORUS, David Edmonds, conductor
WOMEN'S CHORUS, Nathan Frank, conductor
RECITAL CHOIR
Participation in Recital Choir is required for graduate choral conducting majors and is open to other interested singers by audition.