The Official Press Release
Posted on June 2, 2005 at 10:48 a.m.
BIRMINGHAM, AL — The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Concert Choir won two awards at the 34th annual Tours Festival in France in May.
The choir competed in two categories and made it to the finals in both. The choir won the Prix Du Ministère de La Culture, an award given for best interpretation of a French choral work, and shared the top award in the Mixed Choirs Category.
“The UAB Concert Choir’s participation in this prestigious festival is continued evidence of the Department of Music’s world-class quality instruction and of the exceptional talent in the students it attracts,” said Jeff. W Reynolds, D.M.A., chairman of the UAB Department of Music. “These recognitions, together with many other national and international appearances by UAB faculty and students, confirm our commitment to being a leader in music education.”
The Florilège Vocal de Tours is held in Tours, France. The UAB Choir was one of two university choirs from the United States invited to participate; five university choirs from the U.S. applied. Seventeen choirs from 12 countries participated.
Nearly half of the 36 competing members of the UAB Concert Choir are in their first year of choir, said UAB Choir Director Philip Copeland, D.M.A.
“For a young choir to do this well in an international competition is quite an accomplishment,” Copeland said. “I couldn’t be more proud of our students and I am glad to have won this recognition for UAB.”
Delia Charest, a senior at UAB, said the choir sang their best performance ever on the competition’s opening night. The audience response was “amazing,” she said.
“People who could not speak any English came up to us to tell us how much we moved them. One French man told us that the spirit was with us, all around us, and I truly believe that,” she said. The trip also featured two concerts in Paris churches, including a special honor — a concert at the historic Cathedral of Notre Dame. Choirs are selected to perform there only after a recording and program are evaluated.
“Singing there was an incredible experience for our students,” Copeland said. “Many students remarked on how meaningful the concert was in historic Notre Dame.”
Plans for the UAB Concert Choir’s 2005-06 season include a Christmas performance of Handel’s “Messiah” with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and Mozart’s “Solemn Vespers” in New York’s Carnegie Hall.
3 comments:
Well I just want to say that I am pumped and ready to sing again. I am looking foward to the fall and can't wait to hear all the new people next year. I don't know what to do with myself now that choir is over for the summer. Anyways, see you all in the fall. Peace!
Andrew Granlund
Choir I miss you guys so much.
It is currently the 2nd of June and I am in Deland Florida on the campus of Stetson University to begin my job working for PASSPORT summer camp here on Monday. Since I will be working witha group of 16 people i only met last week for the rest of the summer we have been going through sessions where we have the chance to get to know the rest of the staff better.
We are given i question to answer and some have been quite personal. It has been great to get ot know the rest of my new friends.
I bet you are wondering why I'm telling you all of this. Well, the other night the question was what was the happiest moment in our lives. I have so many and I really had to rack my brain to think of one at first. Then, all of a sudden it came to me. I began to describe to my new friends the amazing experience i shared with all of you in a small church in a tiny French suburb. I began to tell them the wonders of performing for an European audience and i began to feel like Dr. Copeland did when i was trying to properly the chant clapping of that small group of people in that tiny litle church. It really wasnt hard for me to figure out the time when i was happiest. It was when i was singing with such amazing and talented people as yourlves. I am going to miss you all very much and i cant wait to come and hear you in the fall. You guys rock my sox have a great summer. I'll be sure to keep in touch and come down and let you guys show me how its done during a rehersal or two.
So until then have an awesome summer.
Linc
PS
Thank you all for an amazing year.
And thank you Dr. Copeland youve taught me more than youll ever know.
PPS
sorry i cant spell and that my grammar is horrible
HOLLER
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