Choirs

 

The choral music program at Lewis & Clark seeks to provide students with high-level choral singing experiences that enhance their understanding of vocal technique, choral methods, and music history through performing literature from many stylistic periods and countries. Best of all, the students who comprise the choral program are energetic, dedicated, and enthusiastic, and have a wonderful time singing together.

Lewis & Clark choirs have toured nationally and internationally and been invited to perform at choral music conferences. (Click HERE for an article about Cappella Nova’s 2013 tour of Egypt and HERE for an article about Cappella Nova’s 2015 tour of Hawaii!) The choral program is rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the finest liberal arts choral programs in the country, with wide-ranging repertoire that challenges and inspires the students. 

There are several different choirs available at Lewis & Clark. All choirs are single-credit courses with no prerequisites other than a (painless!) audition with the director.

• Cappella Nova is Lewis & Clark’s premier mixed choir, performing music from all eras and major choral works with orchestra, both on campus and on domestic and international tours. Rehearsals are Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:30-6:00 p.m. Director: Katherine FitzGibbon. 
• Voces Auream performs some of the exceptional music available for treble voices, from powerful world music to newly composed works. Rehearsals are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00-6:30 p.m. Director: Aubrey Patterson.
• The symphonic-sized Community Chorale is open to undergraduates, graduate and law students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. Rehearsals are Tuesday evenings from 7-9:30 p.m. Director: Katherine FitzGibbon.

Student vocalists, regardless of major, have the opportunity to study voice privately, take part in opera and musical theater workshops and performances, and take courses in vocal pedagogy and vocal literature. There are music scholarships available for singers. Please see the scholarship page for more information.

If you’re new to the choir program, you’ll meet with Kathy FitzGibbon (klf@lclark.edu) so she can get to know your voice and place you in the choir that will be your happiest fit! Those placement auditions will take place during the first week of classes in the Fall semester, and choir rehearsals will start during the second week of classes. To sign up for a choir placement audition in the Fall, please sign up for a 10-minute appointment on Kathy’s Google Calendar. These meetings will be in Kathy’s office, Evans 19. Once you know your choir, you can register during the Add/Drop period (by the second week of classes.)

New choir members are welcome every semester! To begin a choir in the Spring semester, email Kathy FitzGibbon to set up a placement audition either during the Fall semester or during the first week of the Spring. 

If you wish to study voice privately and are new to vocal study at Lewis & Clark, please contact the voice lesson coordinator Susan McBerry (mcberry@lclark.edu) to be matched with a voice teacher.