UMD Music: Ensembles

Chamber Singers is an ensemble of about sixteen students selected from the University Singers. Dr. Stanley R. Wold directs the Chamber Singers, continuing a tradition of largely non-conducted performances to enhance the students' experience of true chamber music. Chamber Singers has been, on two separate occasions, the featured guest ensemble a the Minnesota American Choral Directors Association Chamber Choir Festival at Concordia College, St. Paul, and (in winter of 1997) participated in the ACDA Regional Convention's Millennial Feast. The ensemble provides its more intimate sounds and distinctive literature in almost every departmental choral concert and as part of University Singers tour appearances, including recent performances in Kenya and Tanzania. More locally, Chamber Singers has been a favorite group to perform at holiday luncheons and Chancellor receptions, has appeared at the beginning of several Spring Masterworks Concerts at the Duluth Cathedral, and participated in a regional choral festival in Wisconsin.

The UMD Concert Chorale, directed by Tina Thielen-Gaffey, is an open enrollment mixed ensemble of 80 voices, comprised of a variety of majors. The Chorale performs regularly at UMD choral concerts, in opera productions, for high school choral festivals, and in combined symphonic works. No previous chorus experience is necessary for membership.

The University of Minnesota Duluth Opera Theatre, directed by Rachel Inselman, is a complete opera training program serving the vocal performance majors and other qualified singers. A typical year in overview includes a fall semester program of opera and musical theatre scenes, outreach in the schools, classes in acting, audition techniques, master classes, movement, and a full production in the spring semester. Recently performed operas include: Die Fledermaus, Cosi fan tutte, Hansel and Gretel, and the Marriage of Figaro. The UMD Opera Theatre is supported by an outstanding voice and choral faculty of artist-teachers.

The University of Minnesota Duluth Opera Studio directed by Rachel Inselman, is a complete opera training program serving the vocal performance, vocal, education, musical theatre majors, and other qualified singers.

Click here to see pictures from past operas.

University Singers is the most select major choral ensemble within the Music Department. The group is open to students from any discipline on the campus. Presently under its second director, Dr. Stanley R. Wold, University Singers was founded in 1972 by Professor Vernon H. Opheim. Since that time, the organization has completed seven concert tours of Europe (1994: Germany and Austria) and one concert tour of Kenya and Tanzania (1997-98). Present plans include a concert tour in Venezuela in January 2002.
University Singers is a very active performing ensemble at UMD. In addition to the international tours already mentioned, the following competitive invitations were accepted recently by the choir: Minnesota ACDA (St. Paul, 1995); Minnesota MEA (Minneapolis, 1996); Regional MENC (Peoria, IL, 1997); Regional ACDA (Minneapolis: "The Millennial Feast," 1998). The choir has participated in the Duluth-Superior Symphony's performances of Gounod's Faust (1994), Mahler's Resurrection Symphony (1996) and "A Night at the Opera" (1998). It has hosted and performed under conductors from Stockholm, Sweden; Eger, Hungary; and Petrozavodsk, Russia. In the spring of 1994, University Singers performed in the American premiere of the contemporary opera "Solitaire" (Björn Hallman) in collaboration with members of the Royal Swedish Opera.

UMD Vocal Jazz Ensembles, Lake Effect and Chill Factor, under the direction of Tina Thielen-Gaffey, are a pioneering vocal jazz force in Minnesota. Both ensembles are selected after highly competitive auditions in the fall of each year. The students are music majors and non-music majors of varying ages and musical backgrounds. The ensembles perform three on-campus concerts a year, including the annual themed Cabaret Show, held in mid-spring. Most recently, Lake Effect and Chill Factor toured the Mid-West and East Coast, where they received high praise from vocal jazz guru, Roger Treece. They perform annually at the Western Michigan Gold Company Vocal Jazz Invitational, where both ensembles have received Outstanding Performance Awards. Lake Effect was the featured vocal jazz ensemble at the Minnesota Star of the North Vocal Jazz Festival in March of 2006 and was also selected for the Outstanding Collegiate Performance Award, sponsored by DownBeat Magazine. Lake Effect was selected for the 2006 ACDA state convention and for the 2007 MMEA Midwinter Clinic