Southeastern Chorale to host high school choir competition
Press Release Date: 09-29-2009
Visit the Red River Sing-off's website
DURANT, Okla. – The Southeastern Chorale, Southeastern Oklahoma State University's premiere vocal ensemble, will host the first Red River Sing-Off on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The choral competition will place high school choirs from Oklahoma and Texas in head-to-head competition. Ten exceptional choirs, each with a history of superior performance, have been invited to participate.
The choirs will be placed in five divisions, with one Oklahoma and one Texas group in each division. Each division will have a winner and runner-up. There will be one Grand Champion award for the choir rated highest regardless of division. The point totals of all choirs will be added to determine whether Oklahoma or Texas is the overall winner.
The Champion format used for this event is unique for choral contests. Most contests use a rating system of Superior, Excellent, Good, etc. The Red River Sing-Off will use a simple point system. Points will be awarded for sound quality, technical accuracy, musicality, and stage deportment.
Oklahoma participants will be Durant High School, Mustang, Norman North, Bartlesville, and Vian.
Texas participants will be Hebron High School, Granbury, Wichita Falls Rider, Gainesville, and Celina.
David Childs, internationally known composer and conductor, will return to Southeastern to work with each of the choirs. Childs is the composer of "Of Fire and the Rose," a choral work commissioned by the SE Chorale and the University to mark the Southeastern Centennial. He first arrived on campus to conduct the world premiere of his work.
He is also the composer and conductor of "Requiem," performed at New York City's Carnegie Hall with the SE Chorale participating.
Judges for the Red River Sing-Off will be Dr. Brent Ballweg of Southern Nazarene University, Dr. Joey Martin of Texas State University and Jerry Ann Alt of New Mexico State University. The event will begin at 9 a.m. in Montgomery Auditorium and conclude with the awards ceremony at 1:30 p.m.
This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Stacy Weger, Director of Choral Activities, at 580-745-2222.