WSU's Collegiate Chorale takes home silvers at the World Choir Games

Wright State is known globally, thanks to the The Collegiate Chorale, who participated in the 2012 World Choir Games. The World Choir Games is the largest choral competition in the world, according to the World Choir Games website. It takes place every two years and is inspired by the Olympics. The goal of the ceremonies is to unite people from all nations through singing in a peaceful competition.

“[It] felt great to win two silver medals in each of the following categories: Mixed Chamber Choirs and Musica Contemporanea,” said Hank Dahlman, the Collegiate Chorale Director.

Dahlman has been the director since the group was founded in 2003. Twenty-four to 40 students make up the Collegiate Chorale. According to Dahlman, additional rehearsal retreats were added to the normal Monday, Wednesday and Friday practices to prepare for the event. During the event, the group sang four pieces of music for each category, and also had a chance to participate in a Collegiate Honor Cho

ir Celebration Concert with the world-renowned composer Morten Lauridsen at the Cincinnati Aronoff center. Other universities at the event included Miami University, Xavier, Northern Kentucky and Capital University.

 

This year, the event was held in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was eleven days long. With as many as 15,000 participants, Wright State had to stand out to win the awards. “Relax, have fun, and sing big!” was the advice Dahlman gave the students. He also mentioned that the competition was a team effort, including singers and percussionists from the department of Music, and that hard work, dedication, professionalism and a great sense of humor were the qualities that contributed to their success.

To be prepared for next year, Dahlman added, “The group will continue to keep rehearsing, learning about and performing a wide variety of the world’s best choral music throughout the year.”

“The mission of the Collegiate Choir, is to represent WSU as the university’s premier choral ensemble, both on campus and off campus, and to share our joy of singing with the entire campus, whether on stage or in the audience,” said Dahlman.

Congratulations to the group on all the awards received. If interested in joining the group, they meet in the Creative Arts Center, room M152, as a regular university course for both undergrads and graduate students. Anyone, regardless of major is invited to audition. There are six choirs on campus that cater to different people. Some do not require an audition, so experience is not a criterion. Instead, this is a chance to get involved

and meet new people. Dahlman is welcoming singers from all over campus. For more information about the Collegiate Choir in the World Choir Games and any of the choirs in general contact Hank Dahlman at hank.dahlman@wright.edu.

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