Events

Geoffrey Boers is Director of Choral Activities at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he is the Mary K. Shepman Endowed Professor of Music. Under his direction, the graduate choral program at the University of Washington has developed into one of the most vibrant and innovative in the country. Their cohort of four faculty and fifteen graduate students lead a program of nine ensembles nine ensembles with nearly 600 singers participating. Geoffrey conducts the UW Chamber Singers, the University's premier ensemble of graduate and advanced singers. He also teaches graduate choral conducting and choral pedagogy, and serves as faculty advisor to the choral community at the University.

Geoffrey maintains an active conducting, teaching, workshop and clinic schedule. This past season, he has conducted programs across the U.S and Canada, with concerts in Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, Meyerson Concert Hall in Dallas, and Benaroya Hall in Seattle. Through his teaching he is exploring the evolution of the conducting gesture and its connection with empathy, perception, learning , and the growing science of mirror neurons. His exploration has led new thoughts about choral conducting and teaching with regard to breath, movement, spirit, artistry, personal growth, and cultural development. Recently, his work has led to the development of local choral cohorts of teachers and conductors interested in ongoing mentorship and musical development, who themselves develop programs of mentorship and learning based in these teachings.

In addition to his position at the UW, Boers is the conductor of the Tacoma Symphony Chorus and will lead this choir on a concert tour to Germany, Czech Republic and Austria in the summer of 2012.

Bel Cantare held its first concert in 2010 with various traditional choral pieces from different regions in the world, and its second in 2012 with an even more variations including Christoper Tin's Baba Yetu.

Intending to provide its members with the experience of choral performance, the choir will continue to seek for and perform in choral festivals and other events in the future."

Concert Choir is an audition only honors choir open to every grade of high school student. This choir covers all types of genres during their in school concerts and public shows including classical, contemporary, secular, pop culture, non-secular, and sacred. The choir ranges anywhere from ninety to one hundred and ten students. Recently, they have performed songs such as There Will Be Rest by Frank Tichelli, numerous pieces by Eric Whitacre and 12 choruses from Handel's Messiah.

Surround Sound is an audition only high honors choir open to every grade of high school student. The choir covers very difficult collegiate level compositions as well as creating accapella, and accompanied arrangements to popular songs. Surround Sound has twenty four members, six singers per vocal part. Surround Sound regularly competes at choral competitions and places within the top five. Recently, they have performed songs such as Vivaldi's Gloria, Rutter's Magnificat, and performed Handel's Messiah.

Eric is Director of Choral Activities at Northern Illinois University where he directs the Concert Choir, Chamber Choir and teaches choral literature and conducting. Ensembles under his direction have been featured in live public radio concerts, have appeared with many professional orchestras, and have performed at national and state conventions for the Music Educators National Conference, the National Collegiate Choral Organization, and the American Choral Directors Association.

In spring 2007, Eric served as guest conductor of the Clare College Chapel Choir, Cambridge England and worked with Sir John Tavener on a commissioned piece for the NIU Chamber Choir. He has studied conducting with Helmut Rilling, Dennis Keene, Robert Fountain, and Weston Noble. Johnson has had articles published in the Choral Journal and presented interest sessions at national, divisional, and state ACDA conventions.

He is active nationally as a clinician presenting sessions on developing audiation skills in the choral rehearsal and refining expressive conducting gestures through Laban techniques. As a guest conductor and adjudicator, Eric has worked extensively with festival high school choirs from Michigan to Montana. He is also the Music Director of the Bach Chamber Choir and Orchestra, Rockford, IL, and is Past-President of the Illinois-ACDA. He earned degrees from University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Luther College.

Past DCINY Performance:

April 5, 2009 - Lincoln Center

Based in Yorkshire, UK, Rock Up and Sing! was launched in May 2009. Led by Rhiannon Gayle, our ethos is inclusion - members do not have to audition or be able to read music. Membership currently stands at 400 across 5 distinct choirs, and our repertoire includes rock, Motown, gospel, African and some stunning a cappella pieces.
We are proud to have recorded at London's famous Abbey Road Studios and are regularly involved with high-profile charity and massed choir performances. We enjoy a strong media and Press following. This New York choir contingent draws its singers from all our choirs.

The 60 voice Sandy High Symphonic Choir is one of 4 performing choirs at Sandy High School in Sandy Oregon. Since 1922, Sandy Has produced a fine music program. In 1968 the "A Cappella Choir" changed its name to Symphonic Choir and became the main large performing choir. Symphonic Choir is usually a State Qualifying Choir and also travels every two years to National or International Festivals where it consistently places in the top 3 positions. This is a very special year for us as we opened a brand new Sandy High with wonderful performing facilities and high expectations.