Iowa State Singers will perform at national convention

Before the Iowa State Singers travel to California to perform at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) national convention in Los Angeles in February, the mixed chorus will perform a concert on campus.

The vocal ensemble will present a "bon voyage" concert on Sunday, Jan. 30, at 3 p.m. in the Martha-Ellen Tye Recital Hall. There is no admission charge for this performance.

A program of music similar to what the Iowa State Singers will perform in California will be presented on campus Jan. 30 including "Canamus, amici, canamus," Henk Badings; "Und ob ich schon wanderte," Georg Schumann; "Haec Dies," Bo Holten; "O Sacrum Convivium," Vytautas Miskinis; "McKay," Carol Barnett; and "With a Lily in Your Hand," Eric Whitacre.

This will be the first appearance at the national convention by the ensemble, directed by James Rodde, the Louise Moen Endowed Chair in Music and director of choral activities. Leading conductors through a blind tape audition process chose the Iowa State Singers to participate in the national ACDA convention.

"It's reasonable to say that being selected to sing a solo performance at a national ACDA convention represents the pinnacle of achievement for an American choir," Rodde said. "Since there was an unprecedented number of tapes submitted for this year's convention, I feel especially proud that the Iowa State Singers were selected."

The Iowa State Singers are scheduled to give three solo performances including a Wednesday, Feb. 2 concert at 9:30 p.m. at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple, and two on Thursday, Feb. 3, at 10:15 a.m. at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and at 5:30 p.m. back at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple.

In addition, the Iowa State Singers will be featured at a special reception and performance of Iowa State alumni on Tuesday, Feb. 1. That event will be held at the Hyatt Regency at Macy's Plaza in Los Angeles beginning at 6 p.m.