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The National Collegiate Choral Organization 6th Biennial National Conference

November 12--14, 2015, Portland, Oregon

Hosted by Portland State University

Cover photo for brochure

The 2015 Conference of the National Collegiate Choral Organization was hosted by Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, from November 12-14, 2015, and featured:

  • Sessions by Featured Guest Artists Grete Pedersen and Simon Carrington
  • Norwegian Folk Music, Open Rehearsal, and Concert with Grete Pedersen
  • Conducting Masterclass, A Conversation with John Eliot Gardiner, and Concert with Simon Carrington

Featured Choirs

  • Oregon State University Chamber Choir, Steven Zielke, conductor
  • Riverside City College Chamber Singers, John Byun, conductor
  • Temple University Concert Choir, Paul Rardin, conductor
  • University of Louisville Cardinal Singers, Kent Hatteberg, conductor
  • University of North Texas Collegium Singers, Richard Sparks, conductor
  • University of Redlands Chapel Singers, Nicholle Andrews, conductor
  • University of Southern California Thornton Concert Choir, Cristian Grases, conductor
  • University of Southern Mississippi Southern Chorale, Gregory Fuller, conductor

Special Performances

  • Portland State University Chamber Choir, Ethan Sperry, conductor, in a program of music by Shchedrin, Rachmaninoff, Schnittke, Sviridov, and Ešenvalds
  • Pacific Lutheran University Choir of the West, Richard Nance, conductor, in a program of music by Sheppard, MacMillan, Brahms, Elder, Crabtree, and Holst conducted by Simon Carrington
  • Portland State University Man Choir, Ethan Sperry, conductor: Portland State Vox Femina, Joan Szymko, conductor; and Portland State University Symphony Orchestra, Ken Selden, conductor, in Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass conducted by Grete Pedersen
  • Yale Schola Cantorum and Juilliard415, David Hill, conductor, in a program of music by Williams, Kellogg, Vivaldi and Handel

Interest Sessions

  • "Improving Choirs by Utilizing Brain-Friendly Strategies," Charlene Archibeque, San Jose State University and Debra Glaze, Portland State University
  • "A Practical Guide to the Performance of Gabrieli's Cori Spezzati Compositions," Michael Fuchs, Clayton State University, Morrow, Georgia
  • "Music to Change the World: Composers Speak on Inspiration," Linda Tutas Haugen, composer, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • "Stylistic Interpretation and Performance Practice of Philippine Choral Music," Eliezer Yanson, Bob Jones University, Greenville, South Carolina

Panel on International Opportunities for Choral Conductors

  • Miguel Felipe, University of Hawai'i -- Mānoa, moderator
  • Reed Criddle, Utah Valley University
  • Karen Grylls, University of Auckland, New Zealand
  • Randy Haldeman, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
  • Cameron LaBarr, Missouri State University
  • Gary Packwood, Mississippi State University

Panel on Teaching Choral Literature at the Graduate Level

  • Sharon Paul, University of Oregon, moderator
  • Edward Maclary, University of Maryland
  • David Rayl, Michigan State University
  • Giselle Wyers, University of Washington

Poster Sessions with Mini-Lectures

  • Bryson Mortensen, "The Manuscript Laboratory: Exploration of Elgar's Early Choral Sketches"
  • Frank Watkins, "The Choral Works of Florence B. Price as Products of the Black Nationalist Movement in America"
  • Nana Wolfe-Hill, "Collaboration in the Women's Choral Rehearsal"

Poster Sessions

  • Andrew Morgan, "Visionary Pragmatism: Structural Design, Stylistic Features, and Performance Considerations in Lodovico Viadana's Salmi a Quattro Chori"
  • Kyle Nielsen, "Practical Adaptation of Giovanni Gabrieli's Stile Concertato Polychoral Music for the Modern Collegiate Choral Ensemble"
  • Jace Saplan, "Creating Inclusivity in the Choral Rehearsal"

NCCO Choral Series

  • New compositions by Stephen Caldwell, Molly Joyce, and Paul John Rudoi introduced and performed by the Lewis & Clark College Cappella Nova, Katherine FitzGibbon, conductor [NCCO Choral Series]

Conducting Masterclass

  • Choro in Schola, Bruce Browne, conductor, led by Simon Carrington
  • Masterclass open to graduate students through audition
  • Information on the auditions process in Masterclass Call above
  • Masterclass application form above

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