January 04, 2017

The Susquehanna University Choir, conducted by Director of Choral Activities Julia Brasher Thorn, will be on tour Jan. 10-22, 2017. The tour includes performances at churches and high schools in Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Admission is free, though free-will offerings will be accepted to support students with tour expenses.

The choir typically tours during spring break in March. For 2017, the tour was Choir Rehearsal  moved to January to accommodate the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) 2017 Eastern Region Conference and Student Auditions, being held on Susquehanna’s campus March 17-19. The choir will perform an eclectic program of classical and contemporary music, including folk songs, spirituals, hymns and theater arrangements. The university’s Chamber Singers will perform a segment of the concert as well. The Chamber Singers are a versatile group of 16 musicians that, as a subset of the choir, perform music appropriate for small ensembles, often without a conductor. Concert dates and locations are as follows:

Cantrell Hall, University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Jan 10, 7:30 p.m. President L. Jay Lemons, who served as chancellor of UVA-Wise before joining Susquehanna, will be in attendance.

Canterbury United Methodist Church, 350 Overbrook Rd., Birmingham, Ala., Jan. 11, 7:30 p.m.

First United Methodist Church, 903 Broadway, Minden, La., Jan. 12, 7 p.m.

Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 3715 Youree Drive, Shreveport, La., Jan. 13, 7 p.m.

First United Methodist Church, 204 N. Marshall, Henderson, Texas, Jan. 14, Noon

St. Andrews United Methodist Church, 5801 W. Plano Pkwy, Plano, Texas, Jan. 14, 5:30 p.m. (Abbreviated performance presented during church service.)

Suncreek United Methodist Church, 1517 W. McDermott Drive, Allen, Texas Jan. 15, 8:15 and 11 a.m. (Abbreviated performances presented during church services.)

Abiding Presence Lutheran Church, 14700 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 15, 7:30 p.m.

Westbury United Methodist Church, 5200 Willowbend Blvd., Houston, Texas, Jan. 16, 7 p.m.

University United Methodist Church, 3501 Patrick St., Lake Charles, La., Jan. 17, 7 p.m.

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 1000 N. Mississippi Ave., Little Rock, Ark. Jan. 18, 7:30 p.m.

First Presbyterian Church, 1328 Griffith Ave., Owensboro, Ky. Jan. 19, 7 p.m.

Broad Street United Methodist Church, 501 E. Broad St., Columbus, Ohio Jan. 20, 7:30 p.m.

Presbyterian Church of Chestertown, 905 Gateway Drive, Chestertown, Md. Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m.

First United Church of Christ, 30 N. Pitt St., Carlisle, Pa. Jan. 22, 3 p.m.

The choir will round out its 2016-17 season with concerts at:

St. Peters Lutheran Church, 121 N. Spring St., Middletown, Pa., Feb. 26, 3 p.m.

Pennsylvania Music Education Association Conference, Erie, Pa., April 21, 12:30 p.m.

The group’s final concert of the year will be held on Susquehanna’s campus April 29. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. in Stretansky Concert Hall of the Cunningham Center for Music and Art. The performance is free and open to the public.

The University Choir represents a great musical heritage at Susquehanna University, a selective, residential liberal arts college in central Pennsylvania that provides a solid background in the liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional experiences. Students develop critical thinking, writing, teamwork and communication skills which, combined with internships and research opportunities, prepare them for a lifetime of personal and professional success. The university is recognized nationally for its commitment to off-campus study through the Global Opportunities (GO) program. Small classes enable faculty members to serve as mentors, as well as teachers. Ninety-six percent of Susquehanna students are employed or in graduate or professional school within six months of graduation.