HOUSTON CHORAL FESTIVAL
Houston Choral Festival is a residential choral camp for outstanding high school singers designed to develop and strengthen vocal and musical skills in a concentrated, stimulating, musical environment.This six-day residency program, Sunday, July 13 to Friday, July 18, is sponsored by the Houston Masterworks Chorus and the University of Houston Moores School of Music. The Festival is limited to 125 singers in grades 9-12 who have been highly recommended by their school or church choir directors.
Participants in the Houston Choral Festival will study, rehearse and perform under the direction of two of Houston's most distinguished choral conductors, Robert S. Brewer and Charles S. Hausmann. Sectional rehearsals are led by outstanding high school choral directors.
Participants of the Houston Choral Festival will also have the opportunity to audition for one of the three following specialized musical oferings. HCF participants may audition to become Conducting Interns, limited to a maximum of four, who will receive conducting lessons and conducting opportunities throughout the week-long camp. HCF participants may also audition for the 1997 Chamber Choir. The Chamber Choir will be limited to approximately 24 singers. Finally, auditions will be held for the solo positions in the Bernstein Chichester Psalms. Audition information for the Conducting Internship, the Chamber Choir, and solo positions will be included in the Festival packets sent to all participants.
Festival participants live on the University of Houston campus with a schedule of musical activities throughout the day and evening. Students have access to well-equipped midi computer labs and practice rooms. Vocal coaching sessions and private voice lessons are available for interested students.
Sample daily schedule
| 7:30 a.m. | Breakfast |
| 8:30 a.m. | Sectionals |
| 10:00 a.m. | Full rehearsal with Mr. Brewer |
| 11:30 a.m. | Lunch |
| 12:30 p.m. | Flex time (private lessons, coaching, lab time, practice |
| 2:00 p.m. | Voice class |
| 2:45 p.m. | Sight-singing (Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced) |
| 3:30 p.m. | Sectionals |
| 5:00 p.m. | Dinner |
| 7:00 p.m. | Full rehearsal with Dr. Hausmann |
| 8:30 p.m. | Evening activity (talent show, dance, Astros game, swim |
The Festival culminates on Friday evening, July 18, with a public performance featuring Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms and selections from the 1998 Texas All-State repertoire. Soloists for the Chichester Psalms will be selected at the scholarship auditions to provide ample time for preparation.
FACILITIES
The University of Houston Moores School of Music opens a magnificent, new building in June 1997. This state-of-the-art facility includes expanded studio, classroom and rehearsal space, a comprehensive music library, a recording studio and an 800-seat concert and opera hall.
The surrounding 557-acre campus is dotted with fountains and sculpture among its handsomely designed buildings. In this serene setting, Festival students will enjoy a wide range of recreational facilities - swimming pools, tennis and racquetball courts, bowling lanes and game rooms.
PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES
The final performance is free and open to the public and will feature Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms accompanied by professional orchestra. Informal solo and chamber music recitals will be presented by students and faculty during the week. A talent show will also provide an opportunity for students to showcase their diverse talents.
FACULTY AND STAFF
Conductors:
Robert S. Brewer was appointed Music Director of the Houston Masterworks Chorus in 1995. He has been Associate Director and Accompanist since 1988 and Director of the HMC Chamber Choir since its formation in 1993. Mr. Brewer holds a Master of Music degree in Organ Performance from Indiana University. He has served as Artistic Director of the Concert Chorale of Houston and the St. Paul's Chamber Music Society, and as a guest conductor of the Houston Bach Choir.
Mr. Brewer has been organist/choirmaster of St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Houston since 1980. In 1985 the choir toured Germany, with tours of England following in 1986, 1989 and 1992. In 1989 and 1992 the choir performed a one-week residency in Westminster Abbey, where Mr. Brewer also performed organ recitals as a part of the Abbey's Sunday Afternoon Organ Recital Series. The choir will be returning to Westminster Abbey in late July, 1997. He also prepared the choir for performances in the Houston Ballet productions of Ravel's Daphnis and Chloé and the Poulenc Gloria. Among other activities, he is much in demand as a vocal coach, clinician, accompanist, chamber musician and keyboard soloist.
Charles S. Hausmann is Director of the Houston Symphony Chorus and is also Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies at the University of Houston where he conducts the major choral organizations and teaches conducting and voice. Dr. Hausmann holds degrees from Westminster Choir College, Trenton State College and the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. He has served on the faculties of Western Kentucky University, Westminster Choir College, Princeton and Cranford Senior High School in New Jersey.
Choirs under his direction have received national and international acclaim appearing at major music conventions and festivals in the United States and Europe. Dr. Hausmann has served as choral clinician, guest conductor and vocal soloist throughout the U.S. Most recently he prepared The Houston Symphony Chorus for performances of Mahler's Symphony No. 8, Ravel's Daphnis and Chloé and Mozart's Requiem. He also led The Houston Symphony Chorus on tour to Mexico City where it received critical acclaim for performances of Verdi's Requiem, and to Europe where it performed Orff's Carmina Burana with the Basel Symphony.
Beth Casey, soprano section leader, is in her thirteenth year of teaching choral music in Texas including ten years in Spring Branch and the past three years as choral director at Angleton High School. Ms. Casey received the Bachelor of Music Education and the Master of Music in Conducting at Sam Houston State University with Dr. B.R. Henson. She has served as adjudicator for numerous competitions and as clinician for many summer workshops. Under Ms. Casey’s direction, the AHS Chorale, Men’s Choir and Women’s Choirs have received three consecutive sweepstakes at U.I.L. competition - breaking a 23 year second division streak! She has performed in many organizations, including the Concert Chorale of Houston and the Houston Symphony Chorus. She has been a soloist in these groups as well as in church choirs in the Houston/Lake Jackson area. Her professional affiliations include TCDA, TMEA, ACDA, and ADK.
Denise R. Eaton, alto section leader, is currently in her third year as the head of the Spring High School Choral Department where she conducts the Spring Chorale, the A Cappella Girls choir, the Chamber Choir, and serves as the accompanist for the Concert Boys and Girls choirs. She is the coordinator of choral music for Spring High School and Twin Creeks and Duiett Middle Schools. She has served as the Associate Choral Director at Sam Rayburn High School in the Pasadena Independent School District. A native Houstonian, Ms. Eaton received the Bachelor of Music in Education from the University of Texas at Austin. She is active as a clinician and an adjudicator throughout the state and is a three time recipient of Who’s Who Among American High School Teachers. Ms. Eaton’s Chorale was selected as a 5A Mixed Honor Choir for the 1997 Texas Music Educator’s Association’s annual convention. Her professional affiliations include TMEA, TCDA, ACDA, TMAA.
Dennis Boyter, tenor section leader, returns for his third year to the Choral Festival. He is in his 15th year at Klein Oak High School, Spring, Texas. Previously, he was choral director at MacArthur High School in San Antonio, Pine Tree High School in Longview, and Pineville High School in Pineville, Louisiana. During his tenure at Klein Oak, his choirs have appeared twice at the TMEA Convention.
Robert G. Cruhm, bass section leader, has taught for 25 years, the last five in Deer Park I.S.D. He is presently accompanist at Deer Park High School and choir director at Deepwater Junior High School. Mr. Cruhm has been a soloist, accompanist, and director of several regional choirs throughout Texas. He has recorded the Texas All-State bass/baritone voice tapes for the past 16 years and the Florida All-State tapes for the past four years. He earned both his BA and master's degrees in music education from TCU where he studied with Dr. B. R. Henson and Ron Shirey. Mr. Cruhm has taught in the Brownsville ISD, Spring Branch ISD, Katy ISD and in Northeast ISD in San Antonio. Mr. Cruhm is a member of TCDA, TMEA, ACDA, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Pi Kappa Lambda, honorary music society.
Festival Coordinators
Judy McEnany is in her eighteenth year at Lamar High School where she conducts the Chorale, Madrigals and Prep Choir, teaches Music History and Theory, and is chairman of the Fine Arts Department. She received a BA from Tulane and an MM from the University of Houston. She has served as Area All-State Audition Chairman, All-State Choir Organizer, and Vocal Chair for TMEA Region IX. She has served on the board of Texas Choral Director’s Association and has chaired the UIL State Vocal Sightreading Study/Pilot Project since 1993.
Dawn M. Uebelhart, Festival Coordinator and Concert Administrator of Houston Masterworks Chorus, is also a voice instructor and frequent soloist in the Houston area. Ms. Uebelhart received a Bachelor of Music Degree in Education and a Master of Music Degree in Vocal Performance from University of Houston under the tutelage of Mme. Elena Nikolaidi. Ms. Uebelhart has performed as an oratorio and concert soloist with the Houston Symphony, Houston Bach Society, St. Paul’s Chamber Music Society, and Houston Masterworks Chorus.
Betsy Weber is Associate Director of Choral Studies at the University of Houston and Associate Director of the Houston Symphony Chorus. Dr. Weber taught vocal music in Houston for thirteen years and was one of the founding directors of the all-district Spring Branch Boys' Choir. She is active as a clinician. Her edition of Michael Haydn's Litanie della madonna for treble voices has been published by Alliance Music Company.
Accompanists
David Delaney, Choral Director, Sam Rayburn High School
Judy Hurt, Choral Director, Klein Oak High School, Spring, TX
Rob Seible, Choral Director, High School for the Performing and Visual
Arts, Houston
Jan Green Taylor, Director of Choral Activities at Prairie View A&M, and
Houston Ebony Opera Company
FESTIVAL INFORMATION
| Tuition, room and board (includes music) | $ 275.00 |
| Non-refundable deposit | $ 25.00 |
| Final payment due by June 16 | $ 250.00 |
| Late fee for applications after June 2 | $ 10.00 |
| Late fee for final payments after June 16 | $ 25.00 |
SCHEDULES AND DEADLINES
May 1, 1997. Application deadline for scholarships and soloist auditions. Scholarship application must be sent with festival application.
May 10, 1997. auditions, held at the Moores School of Music, University of Houston. All scholarship applicants and applicants for soloist positions must audition.
June 2, 1997. Application deadline for regular admissions. The non-refundable deposit of $25.00 must accompany application form.
June 16, 1997. Deadline for final payment. A $25.00 late fee will be imposed on payments arriving after this time.
SPECIAL NOTE FOR ALL CHORUS DIRECTORS:
Choral directors are welcome to attend any classes. Housing is available in UH dorms or at the University Hilton. For more information, call the Houston Masterworks Chorus office at (713) 529-8900.
Additional information about the Festival, UH Moores School of Music and Houston Masterworks Chorus can be found on the World Wide Web at: http://www.uh.edu/music http://www.choral.org/grou/hmc
Acknowledgments:
Houston Choral Festival acknowledges with deep appreciation the
generous contributions of the following:
Hobby Family Foundation
Houston Lighting and Power
Shell Oil Company Foundation
Young Singers Foundation
Design/Production
Julian Teal Graphic Design
Printing
Courtesy of
Bowne of Houston
The Houston Choral Festival is a cooperative project of
Houston Masterworks Chorus
and University of Houston Moores School of Music