Choirs
The UCO Choral Society is comprised of five major ensembles, the Chamber Singers, Concert Chorale, Cantilena (Women), Cantare (Men) and the Edmond Community Chorale as well as several smaller ensembles, as the need requires. In 1988 the Choral Division was reorganized to give the singers more opportunity to perform a larger variety and a higher quality of music. During the fall of that year the University Choir was reorganized into the Concert Chorale, and the Edmond Community Chorale was created. In 1992 the Concert Choir was created and in 2002 reorganized into the men’s group (Cantare) and the women’s group (Cantilena, formerly Choriste). Each year these ensembles perform a minimum of four major concerts on campus and surrounding area including mid fall and spring concerts, Christmas with the UCO Choral Division and, at the end of the year, the Masterworks Concert with all the ensembles. Members of several of the ensembles have taken two international tours (Italy 1999 and Ireland 2001) and they are in the planning stages for their third to Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic in the coming year.

UCO has an ensemble for any person wishing to sing. For information about the ensembles or Choral Scholarships please contact Choral Director Dr. Karl Nelson at knelson15@ucok.edu

Auditions: For Audition dates for Concert Choir (MPER 2111), Cantilena (MPER 2141) and Chamber Choir (MPER 2181) please contact Dr. Karl Nelson at knelson15@ucok.edu.

What to expect:

1)  Please arrive at least 10 minutes early to complete an audition form.  Auditions will be held in Dr. Nelson's office, room 208 of the Music Building.

2)  Vocal Range Test - Sing arpeggios down and up the scale on an open vowel to check for range.

3)  Sightreading - Sing a short, eight measure melody.  You will be given 60 seconds to review and practice during the audition before the evaluation.

4)  Prepared Piece - Sing a piece of your choice, a cappella.  Please try to choose something which shows the best qualities of your voice.

More about Choirs:
Chamber Singers
Concert Chorale
Choriste
Cantare
Edmond Community Chorale

Chamber Choir
Dr. Karl Nelson, Director, Bio
The Chamber Singers performing group was created in 1986 to provide a chamber ensemble experience for the more talented singers at UCO (then Central State University). In 1987, under the direction of Dr. Lon Dehnert, they were reorganized to rehearse and perform unaccompanied choral literature for local and regional patrons. Since that time they have performed extensively in the surrounding area including Kansas City, Dallas, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming, as well as many performances each year in the Oklahoma City/Edmond area. They have also toured Italy and Ireland in conjunction with the Concert Chorale and the Edmond Community Chorale. For 15 years, during October, the ensemble performed at the nationally famous Kansas City Renaissance Festival as street musicians.

For information about the Chamber Singers please contact Dr. Nelson at:

knelson15@ucok.edu

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Concert Choir
Dr. Karl Nelson , Conductor, Bio

The Concert Chorale was created in1992 by its former conductor (Dr. Lon Dehnert) to sing top quality choral literature from all style periods. As UCO’s premier choral ensemble, the Concert Chorale performs frequently for local service organizations and for campus events such as the Winter Glow Lighting Ceremony. They have toured Texas, Louisiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, and Missouri as well as Oklahoma. They have sung with major orchestras including the Wichita Symphony and the Manhattan Symphony in New York City's Carnegie Hall, and they have sung with the OK Chorale, Oklahoma City’s award winning barbershop chorus. Members of this ensemble have taken two international tours (Italy, 1999 and Ireland, 2001).

For information about the Concert Choir please contact Dr. Nelson at:

knelson15@ucok.edu

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Cantilena (formerly Choriste)
Dr. Karl Nelson, Conductor, Bio

Cantilena, the women’s ensemble at UCO, was created in 1997, renamed in 2002, and again renamed in 2005. The ensemble was formed to give UCO’s vocal majors an experience with women’s literature from all style periods. It also gave the non-majors a quality group in which to continue their musical pursuits. Cantilena performs four major concerts a year in conjunction with the Cantare and Concert Chorale.

For information about Cantilena please contact Dr. Nelson at:

knelson15@ucok.edu

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Cantare
Ms. Sandra Thompson, Conductor, Bio
The Cantare, the Men’s ensemble at UCO, was created in 2002 to fill a need in the education of our music majors. This ensemble performs four major concerts per year in conjunction with the Choriste and the Concert Chorale.

For information about the Cantare please contact Ms. Thompson at: sthompson@ucok.edu

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Edmond Community Chorale
Dr. Lon Dehnert, Founder and Artistic Director, Bio
The Edmond Community Chorale was created as a "town and gown" ensemble in1988 to fulfill an invitation to sing with John Rutter in New York City’s Carnegie Hall and to fill a need in Edmond for a community choir. Open to all community singers and students by audition, the ECC sings high quality major works from all style periods, with and without orchestral accompaniment. Members from the ECC have made up a the core of the ensemble that sang at the Sienna International Choral Festival in Sienna, Italy in 1999 and performed six concerts in Ireland and England in 2001. They have performed annually for the Mayor’s Tree Lighting and Essay Contest and performed for the nationally prominent 4th of July celebration in 2002. And they are preparing to take their next international concert tour to the Czech Republic and surrounding area.

For information about the Edmond Community Chorale please contact Dr. Dehnert at:
ldehnert@ucok.edu

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Page updated 8/08/07