Choral
If you like to sing, why not join a choir? Several different ensembles are available to majors and non-majors.
Choral Area Faculty
- Professor Eric Reyes, director of choral activities
- Professor Pam Pierson, director of SPERA
- Chapel Choir
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Chapel Choir is an advanced SATB vocal ensemble that meets three times a week to study,
rehearse and perform vocal music throughout the semester. Performances may take place
both on and off campus. In this course, students will study various vocal techniques
pertaining to the repertoire selected. Students in this course will seek to have
a grasp of the western choral canon, as well as the music of cultures and traditions
throughout the world. This ensemble is open to all students by audition. DIRECTOR
Rehearsal times
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 4–5 p.m.
COURSE LISTING
Audition required
- SPERA
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SPERA is a treble vocal ensemble that meets twice a week to study, rehearse, and perform
vocal music throughout the semester. Performances may take place on and off campus.
This ensemble seeks to highlight works composed by women, as well as perform repertoire
that ranges from the western SSAA choral canon to new 20th/21st century compositions,
both domestically and internationally. This ensemble is open to all treble voices by audition.Director
Rehearsal time
Thursday: 6–7:30 p.m.
COURSE LISTING
Audition required
- VERITAS
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VERITAS is an advanced low-voice (TTBB) ensemble that meets twice a week to study,
rehearse and perform vocal music throughout the semester. Performances may take place
on and off campus. This ensemble seeks to perform repertoire that ranges from the
western TTBB choral canon to new 20th/21st century compositions, both domestically
and internationally. This ensemble is open to all low-voice singers by audition.Director
Professor Eric D. Reyes
Rehearsal Times
Monday and Wednesday: 6–7 p.m.
Course Listing
Audition required
- College Chorus
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College Chorus is an SATB vocal ensemble that meets once per week to study, rehearse
and perform vocal music throughout the semester. This ensemble is open to all who
are interested, including faculty, staff, and community members. Together, College
Chorus seeks to study various vocal techniques in accordance with the repertoire,
and begin to explore the breadth of vocal repertoire form the traditional western
choral canon, to the music of other cultures and traditions throughout the world.
No audition is required. DIRECTOR
Rehearsal time
Tuesday: 7:30–9 p.m.
COURSE LISTING
No audition required
- Opera Workshop
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Opera Workshop is offered in the spring semester, providing the opportunity for students to combine stage movement, acting and singing in the context of the performance of scenes and full productions of operas and musical dramas.
DIRECTOR
Course Listing
Audition required
- Luminescence
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Luminescence women’s a capella group is an auditioned student-led ensemble of 8–16 female or non-binary-identifying Hope College students. Per its a capella classification, this group rehearses and performs music using solely its own voices as instruments. They seek to form positive friendships with one another, share their passion for consuming and creating music, and grow in cohesiveness as a musical group. Luminescence receives a variety of performance opportunities on and off campus.
CONTACT
Audition required
- 12th St. Harmony
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This male a capella ensemble was created in 2001. With oversight from the director
of choral activities, the day-to-day running of 12th Street Harmony is self-directed
by members within the group. They perform both on and off campus. CONTACT
Audition required
The Hope College Chapel Choir uses special robes created by the most influential designers of the 20th century.
- The Chapel Choir Robes
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The Chapel Choir robes were designed 50 years ago by Charles and Ray Eames, a husband-and-wife team among the most influential designers of the 20th century. Filmmakers, poets, painters and furniture designers, the couple was hired in the 1940s as consultants by the Herman Miller Company, which had been impressed by a widely acclaimed furniture-design exhibition at the New York Museum of Modern Art featuring the work of Charles Eames. In 1952, when the Herman Miller Company started a mixed chorus, Ray Eames offered to design robes for the choir. No one knows whether the robes were produced in California, where Charles and Ray kept an office, or in Holland, where some believe they were sewn by local seamstresses. In 1960, the Herman Miller Mixed Chorus disbanded and the robes were given to Hope College, where they became the performing apparel of the Chapel Choir.
The robe colors are intended to symbolize the four primary voice parts, from highest and brightest (yellow) to lowest and darkest (purple). The black horizontal lines represent an extended grand staff, and the other black swatches stand for random notes in the universe. Purity of tone and faith are represented by the prevailing white that appears on every surplice. No one would ever describe these robes as subtle; they are very much in line with the bold and quirky designs of mid-century modernism. But, as the work of Charles and Ray Eames, they hold a special place in 20th century art and design, and would be at home in art galleries everywhere.
Miller Center for Musical Arts221 Columbia AvenueHolland, MI 49423
workP. 616.395.7650
music@hope.edu