Update: Members of the Moores Concert Choral perform their Marktoberdorf music one last time in Houston on Tuesday, May 14, 2013, before jetting to Europe. Get more information and send your RSVPs here.
The University of Houston’s Moores Concert Chorale is the university’s premiere large choral ensemble consisting of mainly junior and senior music majors. In Houston, the group has a devoted following through its numerous performances on campus and in the community. It also has earned international acclaim following winning performances at festivals in Wales and France.
The Concert Chorale delivers many performances throughout the Houston area and has expanded its musical reach into Europe. From May 17 – 22, it will participate in the 13th annual International Chamber Choir Competition in Marktoberdorf, Germany, under the direction of Betsy Cook Weber. The ensemble is one of only 10 international choirs to be selected for this exclusive competition. Since its inception, the event has showcased more than 160 choirs from 36 countries in concerts and competitions. For more details on the event, visit its website.
The Concert Chorale’s appearance at this event complements previous international visits. In 2009, it participated in Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales. At that festival, the group earned first place in the chamber choir competition. In 2011, the group was selected for Florilege Vocal de Tours in Tours, France. During that competition, the Concert Chorale earned second place in the mixed choirs competition and received honors for Best New Creation (for a performance of Moores School of Music director David Ashley White’s “I Cannot Live With You”).
“I continue to be gratified by the international response to the Concert Chorale’s performances,” Weber said. “It is an honor to be selected for international competition on three occasions. These invitations are highly coveted. To receive a single opportunity like this is wonderful . . . to receive three invitations is truly remarkable.”
The Moores Concert Chorale is among the ensembles based within the Moores School of Music. Other award-winning groups include the Moores School Symphony Orchestra, Moores Jazz Ensemble, Moores Opera Center, Concert Women’s Chorus, Spirit of Houston Cougar Marching Band, Wind Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble.
The Moores School of Music offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. It serves approximately 600 students annually. Areas of study include composition, conducting, performance, theory and musicology. Its faculty consists of internationally recognized performers, composers and scholars. A majority of the school’s concerts are performed in the 800-seat Moores Opera House. For more details on the Moores School of Music, visit http://www.music.uh.edu/.
Except for a few minor changes, this post was first published by Mike Emery on the Moores School of Music website on November 27, 2012.
