The 2015 Symposium entitled “The Roots Grow Deep” will feature several performances open to the public. The Des Moines Vocal Artists, directed by Tim McMillin, will open the convention with a concert on Monday, July 27 at 2:00 p.m. in the NIACC Activity Center Dining Area.
Monday night has the first of three evening concerts featuring the Iowa All-State Vocal Jazz Concert, directed by Jeremy Fox. High School vocalists from across the state have auditioned for this impressive choir. From Miami, Florida, Grammy-nominated Jeremy Fox is a composer, conductor, and clinician, who recently completed his DMA in Jazz Composition at the University of Miami. Jeremy spent eight years teaching at The School for Music Vocations at SWICC in Creston, Iowa. ICDA is excited to bring him back to the state to work with this fine group of musicians.
The Monday evening concert will continue with The Boardwalk Quartet from Georgia. This old time group re-creates songs that combine great barbershop harmony with folk music and some instrumentation. The inspiration…music and fashion of the 1920’s.
Tuesday and Wednesday bring more performances across Mason City. Tuesday, July 28 at 4:30 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, Choral Evensong with the Howells Scholars from the Cathedral Church of St. Paul will perform with Rebecca Gruber, conductor (This is a free concert.) Later that evening The Singers, directed by Matthew Culloton, will also perform at Trinity beginning at 7:00 p.m.
On Wednesday, July 29 at 7:00 p.m. the final concert for the week will take place at the First Congregational Church. Midwest Chorale, directed by Bradley Barrett, specifically requested this venue.
Convention chair Mark Babcock says, “It has been an honor and a privilege to be a part of the 41 year legacy of summers. This is a full, rich week that will remind us of the valuable work we do all year long to promote choral artistry. The image of roots suggests the life-giving, sustaining presence choral music has for our culture and society. More Americans sing in a choir than in any other part of the world! As ICDA members, we understand the values of teamwork, beauty, openness to new ideas, qualitative judgments, and the pure human joy experienced while using the first human instrument – the voice, in community – a choir.”
All performances are general admission with $10 tickets available at the door. For more information regarding the Symposium, please visit www.iowachoral.org.
