CUP Chamber Singers invited to perform in Wales

Dr. Stephen Johnson, in his second year of leading Clarion’s Chamber Singers, said the group prepared an audition tape last fall. It was their first attempt at participating in a music festival.

“I was concerned, because I was afraid they were looking for groups that had won competitions before, and we didn’t have that kind of resume,” Johnson said. “I was very up front that this was our first attempt.”

The annual multi-day music festival is celebrated the second week of each July in Llangollen, North Wales. Singers and dancers from around the world are invited to take part in more than 20 competitions, followed each evening by concerts in which the best competitors share the stage with professional artists.

More than 5,000 singers, dancers and instrumentalists from 50 countries perform to audiences of more than 50,000 during the festival.

The festival is a self-contained community, much like the Olympics. The students will be there for four days, and will have the opportunity to meet other students from all over the world. There are divisions according to age and genre.

There’s an opening ceremony, then, over the course of four days, everyone will listen to each other. On the third day, the winners in each category are announced. Winners move on to the world competition on the final day of the festival.

The festival marksthe first time the Chamber Singers have traveled internationally. Last spring, in fact, was the first time since the group formed about 40 years ago that the Chamber Singers had gone on tour, performing regionally in Coudersport and Smethport. Previously their performances were in campus venues, doing madrigal concerts and an annual spring concert.

The Chamber Singers perform a wide range of music, including 15thand 16thcentury madrigals, jazz, pop, spirituals and 20thcentury art music.Participation in the group, which usually has about 20 members, is by audition.