The University Singers, the University of Virginia’s flagship choral ensemble, will be on tour this May 2019 appearing across the Northeastern U.S. and Canada.  Led by UVA faculty conductor Michael Slon, the ensemble will perform in Staunton VA, Cleveland, Buffalo, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Albany, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C.  The tour also includes a collaboration with the Vocalis Chamber Choir in Buffalo, an appearance at the Canadian Parliament, and a special Charlottesville concert as part of UVA Reunions.  UVA alumni are especially encouraged to join us, and UVA Singers alumni in attendance at concerts will be able to join the Singers on stage for the traditional UVA songs.

The ensemble will present a program of a cappella and accompanied works featuring Ēriks Ešenvalds’ “Only in Sleep” on a text by Sara Teasdale, Chesnokov’s “Spaseniye sodelal,” Eric Whitacre’s “Water Night” and “little man in a hurry” (co-commissioned by the group), music by Canadian composers, and traditional songs arranged by Stephen Paulus, Nathaniel Dett, and Moses Hogan.  The Chamber Singers also appear, singing selections including Ben Folds’ “The Luckiest.”  The Singers look forward to sharing their music – join us for a performance at one of this year’s tour venues!  (The complete list is included below.)

The University Singers is the UVA’s premier choral ensemble, and recently joined the Charlottesville Symphony on the steps of the Rotunda to perform at UVA’s Bicentennial Launch Celebration, before an estimated crowd of 20,000. This past fall, the University Singers gave the regional premiere of Bernstein’s Mass at the Paramount Theatre, the group’s largest concert project to date. In recent years, the Singers have also performed for Les Misérables creators Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil during their UVA residencies, sung for the 2016 UVA Holiday video (which received more than 400,000 views on social media), and taken a two- week concert tour of England, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Austria. Recent repertoire has included Beethoven’s Symphony no. 9, Bach’s Mass in B minor and St. John Passion, Handel’s Messiah, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, the Verdi Requiem, Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem and Mendelssohn’s Elijah, as well as premieres of commissioned works by Stephen Paulus, Forrest Pierce, Judith Shatin, and Eric Whitacre. Founded in 1957, the Singers have been heard on recent U.S. tours in Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Charleston, Chicago, Cincinnati, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, Providence, Virginia Beach, and the National Cathedral in Washington D.C., as well as the campuses of other American universities for collaborative concerts. The group has also been heard on previous European tours in Italy, Belgium, Germany, Russia, and Switzerland. Other choral program highlights have included concerts and workshops with Bobby McFerrin and Meredith Monk, a performance for Hillary Clinton, a performance for the 2010 VMEA Conference, a 2012 workshop with members of the Tallis Scholars, a 2014 performance for Philip Glass, and frequent collaborations with the Charlottesville Symphony, including the popular Family Holiday Concerts.

Students in the University Singers come from UVA’s six undergraduate schools, including Arts and Sciences, Education, and Engineering, as well as several of the University’s graduate and professional schools. While approximately 25-30% are music majors, the ensemble is open to any student by audition, and is a for-credit curricular class. Together, members enjoy an esprit de corps that arises from the pursuit of musical excellence, and the camaraderie the singers develop offstage.

The complete tour itinerary follows.  A freewill donation will be taken at most of the tour concerts.  For more information please call (434) 924-3052 or visit: www.music.virginia.edu/usingers

See the University Singers promotional video.
Read about the recent production of Bernstein Mass. 

UVA University Singers May 2019 Northeast U.S. and Canadian Concert Tour:
(A freewill donation will be taken at most concerts.)

Tuesday May 21, 2019:
Concert, 7:00 pm
Covenant Presbyterian Church
1001 N Coalter St.
Staunton, VA, 24401

Wednesday May 22, 2019:
Concert, 7:30 pm
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
2747 Fairmount Blvd
Cleveland Heights, OH 44106

Thursday May 23, 2019
Concert, 7:30 pm
St. Joseph University Parish
3269 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14214

Friday May 24th, 2019:
Concert, 8:00 pm
Church of the Redeemer
Anglican Church of Canada
162 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON M5S 1M4

Sunday May 26, 2019:
Church Service, 9:30 am
Church of the Redeemer
162 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON M5S 1M4

Church Service, 5:00 pm
Paroisse Saint François d’Assise
20, av. Fairmont
Ottawa, ON K1Y 2K2

Monday May 27th, 2019:
Performance, 10:00 am
Parliament Hill
Wellington St, Ottawa,
ON K1A 0A9, Canada

Concert, 7:30 pm
Christ Church Cathedral
635 Saint-Catherine St W, Montreal,
QC H3A 2B8, Canada

Tuesday May 28, 2019:
Concert, 7:00 pm
Cathedral of All-Saints
62 S Swan St,
Albany, NY 12210

Wednesday May 29, 2019:
Concert, 7:00 pm
Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul
1723 Race St,
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Thursday May 30, 2019:
Concert, 7:30 pm
St. Dominic Church
630 E St SW,
Washington, DC 20024

Friday May 31, 2019:
Reunions Reception, 3:00-5:00
Pavilion V Lower Garden

Reunions Concert, 5:00 pm
Old Cabell Hall,
Charlottesville, VA 22903