Ripon College Chamber Singers have special performances in Fond du Lac, Madison

The Ripon College Chamber Singers, directed by John C. Hughes, assistant professor of music and director of choral activities, have two special performances coming up off campus.

The choir has been invited to perform at the 2019 Wisconsin State Music Conference Oct. 24 in Madison. K-12 music teachers from around the state convene to develop new techniques and learn new strategies for effective teaching.

The choir will perform works by William Byrd, Johannes Brahms, Ola Gjeilo and Einojuhani Rautavaara.

The Ripon College Chamber Singers were selected to perform following a competitive audition process, including concert recordings and Hughes’ description of his methods to better utilize time so that more can be achieved during each rehearsal time, and methods the Chamber Singers use to prepare for a significant performance this early in the academic year.

Hughes says performing at a juried conference such as this one has long been a dream of his and he is so proud of the hard work that the current performers have put in as well as of those that came before them.

Chamber Singers also will perform Sunday, Oct. 27, at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Fond du Lac for Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church Michael Curry. Curry was elected to his position in 2015 and is the first African American to serve as presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church.

He gained some fame after his sermon at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018.

The Chamber Singers were invited to sing at this event by the dean of the Cathedral Church, the Very Rev. Patrick Perkins. They had performed at the cathedral as part of their annual spring tour in 2018, and Perkins wanted a strong choir for this important event.

The choir will perform works by William Byrd, Ola Gjeilo and Kevin Siegfried.

The performance will be part of their 9 a.m. worship service.

(Photo: John C. Hughes)