Contact Us

	Shaw, Dr. Martha Director of Choral Activities Professor of Music 706-233-7274 mshaw@shorter.edu
	Nicholson, Nickie Administrative Assistant of Choral and Recruitment Activities 706-233-7366 nnicholson@shorter.edu

2011-2012 CHORAL SEASON

Ticket sales are managed through the Shorter University Box Office (with the exception of the R.O.M.E. Concert Series). For tickets contact:

Shorter University Box Office
315 Shorter Avenue
Rome, GA 30165

Phone: (706) 233-7288 or (800) 868-6980, ext. 7288
E-mail: boxoffice@shorter.edu

Occasional changes in dates for arts events may occur. Visit this page for the latest schedule. All events are on the main Shorter University campus, located at 315 Shorter Avenue, Rome, Georgia, unless otherwise indicated.

*Northwest Georgia Choral Festival
Monday, October 24, 7 p.m.,
Winthrop-King Centre

We celebrate 16 years of the popular Northwest Georgia Choral Festival for students in grades 4-6 and 9-12. The clinic is an all-day workshop for outstanding young singers held on the Shorter University campus. Clinician Craig Hurley will return as the conductor for the Elementary Choir, and the High School Choir will be led by Dr. Martha Shaw. Both honor choirs will be joined by a guest choir and The Shorter Chorale for a delightful evening of choral music. (Applications for music teachers can be located on the Shorter University website.)

* The Shorter Chorale Fall Concert
Saturday, November 12, 7:30 p.m.,
Brookes Chapel

The Shorter Chorale is thrilled to announce that we have been invited to perform for the 2012 Southern Division Conference of the American Choral Directors Association. Join us for a preview of our performance featuring works of Bach, Byrd, Badings, Rachmaninoff and other great composers.

* Feaste of Caroles
Sunday, November 27, 6 p.m.,
Garden Lakes Baptist

The Feaste of Caroles tradition continues as The Shorter Chorale, the Shorter University Chorus and the Garden Lakes Baptist Church Sanctuary Choir welcome the Christmas Season. From sacred to secular Christmas favorites to audience sing-a-longs, this concert is sure to please.

*Shorter Chorale in Spring Concert
Saturday, April 21, 7:30 p.m.,
First Baptist Church, Rome

The tradition of sacred music in England is one that is rich and glorious. This stunning concert will feature works of Tallis, Britten, Handel, Tavener and Chilcott. The concert will also feature the magnificent work of organist and chorale accompanist, Steven Wooddell.

Choral opportunities at Shorter College include the Shorter Chorale and the Shorter Chorus which are open to all students.  The Chorale is an auditioned ensemble of 40-45 singers who perform at the college, in local churches, throughout the Southeast, and on tours abroad once every three years. 

The Shorter Chorale, founded in 1968, is widely regarded as one of the finest university choral ensembles in the southeastern United States.  The 2004-2005 season featured a tour of the great cathedrals and churches of England with performances in Coventry Cathedral, Canterbury Cathedral, Christ Church, Oxford and Great St. Mary’s in Cambridge. In 2005, the first broadcast of the Shorter Chorale was heard on National Public Radio.

Previously, the Chorale has toured extensively throughout Europe and Russia, earning resounding critical acclaim. The Chorale has been featured at the Georgia convention of the American Choral Directors Association, Georgia Music Educators In-Service Conferences, as well as the Georgia National Association of Teachers of Singing convention.  This exceptional choir continues its tradition of excellence with many guest appearances throughout the United States.

the Chorale

The Shorter Chorale performs frequently during the year.  In addition to the annual Fall and Spring concerts, the Chorale performs at the Feaste of Caroles and the Northwest Georgia Choral Festival, for various school functions, in churches throughout the southeast, and on a yearly tour. 

Repertoire is based predominantly on classical works of all eras, but also includes spirituals and jazz standards.  Recent major works performed include Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore. K.339,  the Poulenc Gloria, and the Mozart Requiem. 

Click here to see the Shorter Chorale perform.

Enjoy the Shorter Chorale on CD!

Celebrate the Christmas season with the sounds of the Shorter Chorale – and help Chorale members defray the cost of their spring tour to Italy. The CD, A Savior from on High, includes 19 tracks.

“This is the first Shorter Chorale recording to be nationally released,” said Dr. Martha Shaw (’80), who conducts the Chorale. “The recording features the current Chorale and several alumni including Patrick Harvey (’05), Jamie Barton (’04), Lenora Green (’06), Nick Almand (’06) and Joe Knighton (’04).”

“The cost of producing the CDs has already been covered,” Dr. Shaw said, “so every penny from the sales goes to students’ accounts for the Chorale tour.”

The CD features new works that the group has not performed in concert as well as traditional favorites of the Chorale. “It tells the story of the Nativity including selections about Mary, the star, the shepherds, the wise men, and even the flight into Egypt,” Dr. Shaw said. “Also included are holiday favorites such as Sleigh Ride and Jingle Bells.”

The CD was developed by ACA Digital Recording with Fyodor Cherniavsky as producer and Fred Horton as recording engineer.  

***Click here to download an order form. Please send completed forms to:

Nickie Nicholson
Shorter College
Campus Box 163
315 Shorter Avenue
Rome, GA 30165

 
The Shorter Chorus

The Shorter Chorus is a large mixed ensemble that is open to any talented student at Shorter University who enjoys singing. Students are admitted to and placed in the ensemble by a simple voice-test process. The Chorus performs a variety of traditional repertoire in many languages and from all style periods. The Chorus performs twice each semester and joins forces with the Shorter Chorale for special events. The highest standards of choral excellence, performance practice, and professionalism are encouraged and expected. In the 2006–2007 concert season, the Shorter Chorus performed in six languages from all stylistic periods, and performed the World Premiere of a new spiritual by composer Paul Carey (b.1954).

Click here to hear the Shorter Chorus.
Click here to see the Shorter Chorus perform.
Click here for the 2008-2009 Season.

Please contact Len Willingham at len.willingham@hawks.shorter.edu for more information about the Shorter Chorus.

 Feaste of Caroles  

The Feaste of Caroles is the annual Christmas concert presented by the Shorter Chorale and Chorus and an invited guest choir.  It is held on the weekend prior to Thanksgiving, due to the academic calendar, but is welcomed by the community as the early bird herald of the season. Selections include classical and traditional songs of the holidays. 

Northwest Georgia Choral festival (NWGCF)

Click here for information about this year's Choral Festival

The Northwest Georgia Choral Festival is held on a Monday near the end of October.  It features a High School Festival Choir conducted by the Director of Choral Activities, Dr. Martha Shaw, and a Treble Festival Choir of 4-6th graders conducted by a guest clinician.

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