2012 High School Concert Choir

DAVID N. CHILDS received a Bachelor’s degree in composition and musicology from Canterbury University, Christchurch, New Zealand in 1990; a Master of Music degree in conducting from the Florida State University, Tallahassee in 1995; and a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from Louisiana State University in 2004. Dr. Childs was appointed Director of Choral Music at Highland Park United Methodist Church in August, 2010.

Additionally he has served as tenured Associate Professor of Choral Studies at the Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, since 2000, and also as Minister of Music at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Franklin, Tennessee. Dr. Childs has conducted numerous All-State and honor choirs in Tennessee, Maryland, Virginia, Louisiana, Oregon, Texas, Kansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, New Zealand, and Japan.

Future engagements include: New York City, where he will conduct his own Festival Te Deum in Carnegie Hall in 2012. This will be his third appearance in Carnegie Hall; in June 2009, he conducted a world premiere of his Requiem mass for chorus, soloists, and chamber orchestra, receiving a standing ovation. In March 2010, he conducted the world premiere of his Festival Te Deum, which was similarly received enthusiastically); North Carolina, and; South Dakota. His 80+ published compositions frequently appear at state festivals and workshops, and at ACDA state, regional, and national conventions. They are performed in many parts of the world, including Asia, Europe, the Americas and Australasia. He has received commissions from around the world, including Japan, New Zealand, and South Africa.

He is the founder, and Executive and Artistic Director of Vox Humana, a Nashville-based professional choir of twenty-four voices. David is married to Lesley French Childs, Assistant Professor of Laryngology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Their first child was born in July, 2011.

2012 High School Concert Choir Repertoire

• Regina Coeli KV. 276 – W.A. Mozart (SATB w/soloists) Kalmus K06342
• Sure On This Shining Night – Morten Lauridsen (SATB) Theodore Presser 62128-122
• The Moon Is Distant From The Sea – David Childs (SATB) Santa Barbara Music Publishing SBMP 719
• With A Lily In Your Hand – Eric Whitacre (SATB) Santa Barbara Music Publishing SBMP 431
• Ngana – Stephen Leek (SATB) Musical Resources MM0405
• Daemon Irrepit Callidus – Gyorgy Orban (SATB) Hinshaw Music, Inc. HMC 1537
• The Promise of Living – Aaron Copland (SATB) Boosey & Hawkes OCTB5020

2012 High School Women’s Choir

Dr. MEG FRAZIER is Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities at Loyola University New Orleans, where she conducts the College of Music’s three choirs (including the Loyola Chorale) and teaches choral conducting, basic conducting, and choral music education methods. A native of Longview, Texas, Dr. Frazier earned her Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music in conducting at Sam Houston State University, where she studied with Dr. Bev Henson, and her Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting at LSU, where she studied with Dr. Ken Fulton. Prior to teaching at Loyola, Dr. Frazier taught at Beloit College in Wisconsin and had 6 years of public school music teaching in Texas at the junior high and high school levels.

Choirs under Dr. Frazier’s direction have performed at Louisiana ACDA, Southern Division ACDA, and LMEA, as well as touring regularly to New York, Europe, and South America.

Dr. Frazier is an active clinician and guest conductor. She was the clinician for the 2002 Louisiana Junior High All-State Choir and for the 2003 and 2009 Kentucky Women’s All-State Choir. Dr. Frazier has conducted honor choirs in Louisiana, Texas, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi. She was the summer conductor of the Linz Invitational Choral Festival in Linz, Austria in 2007. Dr. Frazier has worked with numerous church choirs and church music workshops, including Association of Disciples Musicians local chapter, Montreat Summer Music and Worship Conference, American Guild of Organists local chapter, and the National Association of Pastoral Musicians local chapter.

Dr. Frazier is also the Artistic Director/Conductor of the NOVA Chorale, a semi-professional chamber choir in the New Orleans area, currently Artists in Residence at Loyola University New Orleans.

When not working with choirs, Dr. Frazier is a certified medical transcriptionist and enjoys studying all things medical, traveling (especially cruises), reading, and shopping. She and her husband, Rob, live in Covington, Louisiana with canine kid Lili, a spoiled cocker spaniel.

2012 High School Women’s Choir Repertoire

• Zion’s Walls – Aaron Copland arr. Koponen (SSAA) Boosey and Hawkes M051460717
• Pueri hebraeorum – Randall Thompson (SSAA/SSAA) E. C. Schirmer ECS #492
• Ave Maria – Guy Forbes** (SSAA divisi) Alliance AMP 0671
• All that hath life and breath – Rene Clausen (SSAA) Mark Foster 8MF1023
• I am not yours – David N. Childs (SSAA) Santa Barbara SBMP 568
• Noche de lluvia – Sid Robinovitch (SSAA) Earthsongs S-220
• Ain’t No Grave – Caldwell/Ivory (SSAA) Earthsongs S-243
• Love is a Rain of Diamonds – G. Walker** (SSAA) E. C. Schirmer ECS 5023

2012 High School Men’s Choir

Dr. BARRY TALLEY, U.S. Naval Academy (Retired), Annapolis, MD

2012 9-12 Men’s Choir Repertoire

• Florida Toast (old German Toast) – arr. Barry Talley (TTBB) Download from FVA
• From Boston Harbor – arr. Barry Talley (TTBB) Download from FVA
• Spanish Ladies – arr. Barry Talley (TTBB) Download from FVA
• Old Man Noah from Three Chanteys – M. Bartholomew (TTBB) Hal Leonard HL50297330
• Cantate Domino – Hassler/Taylor** (TTBB) Alliance AMP0757
• If Ye Love Me – Thomas Tallis (TTBB) Public Domain Download from FVA
• Bless The Lord, O My Soul – Ippolitov-Ivanov (TTB) Hal Leonard HL08551616
• Behold! The Mountain – Elam Sprenkle (TTBB) Download from FVA
• Ehre Sei Dir, Christe – Schütz/arr. Barry Talley (TTBB) Public Domain Download from FVA
• Ave Maria – Bruckner/Lishinsky (TTBB) Arista Music Co. AE152
• Battle Hymn of the Republic – Steffe/Wilhousky** (TTBB) Carl Fisher CM6778

2012 High School Reading Choir

JAMES K. BASS is Director of Choral Studies in the School of Music at the University of South Florida and the artistic director of the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. At USF he conducts the University Chamber Singers, Collegium and the Collegiate Singers, and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in choral conducting, philosophy, and literature. Previously he was on the faculty at Western Michigan University and the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Bass received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Miami–Florida, where he was a doctoral fellow, and Master of Music and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of South Florida.

Bass’ conducting experience includes a variety of choral and orchestral ensembles including chamber choirs, women’s choruses, mixed-voice choirs, symphony orchestras, string orchestras, and string chamber ensembles. The Western Michigan University Chorale was one of eleven nationally auditioned choirs to appear as a featured performer at the 2008 Convention of the National Collegiate Choral Organization held in Cincinnati, Ohio. He has conducted choirs at the University of Central Florida and University of Miami–Florida and has appeared as a guest conductor and clinician. He has served as director of choral and orchestral activities at Howard W. Blake High School for the Performing Arts in Tampa, Florida, and conductor of the Tampa Bay Youth Orchestra. He has prepared choirs for Sir Colin Davis, Sir David Willcocks, Jahja Ling, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Robert Shaw.

Bass was selected by the master conductor of the Amsterdam Baroque Soloists, Ton Koopman, to be one of only 20 singers for a presentation of Cantatas by J.S. Bach in Carnegie Hall, and was an auditioned member of Robert Shaw’s workshop choir at Carnegie. As a bass soloist, he has performed at Winchester Cathedral in London, has sung three world-premieres of major works, and appears on CD recordings on the Albany label. He recently appeared with the New World Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas as bass soloist.

Bass is a bass soloist and chorus master for Seraphic Fire, the Miami-based professional choir, and was appointed choirmaster for the Classical Music Festival in Eisenstadt, Austria. He is currently on the Executive Board of the American Choral Directors Association Central Division serving as College Repertoire and Standards chairperson. His professional affiliations include the American Choral Directors Association, Music Educators National Conference, American Symphony Orchestra League, Pi Kappa Lambda national music honor society, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity.

2012 Middle School Treble Choir

LYNN URDA, a native of Bartow, Florida, is the Founder, Conductor & Music Director of the Gwinnett Young Singers in Atlanta, Georgia. Now entering its 22nd season, Gwinnett Young Singers provides an advanced and extraordinary choral experience for children in five counties throughout the metro Atlanta area. GYS is a nationally recognized children’s chorus, best noted for its mastery of challenging repertoire and exceptionally high musical standards.

The choir won a Grammy Award for their performance in the highly acclaimed Telarc CD recording of John Adams’ On The Transmigration Of Souls with the ASO & Chorus. In 2004 they were nominated for a Grammy Award for their performance in the internationally acclaimed Telarc recording of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana with the ASO and Chorus. Beginning with two seasons of Christmas With Robert Shaw in 1996 & 1997, they have performed for thirteen years in Christmas with the ASO. The Young Singers are also featured on the Telarc recording of Puccini’s La Boheme with the ASO and Chorus. The Young Singers have performed for thousands of Music Educators at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) conferences in South Carolina and Tennessee, and two recent performances at the GMEA conference in Savannah, Georgia.

Mrs. Urda maintains an active schedule as a guest clinician, conductor and adjudicator for All-State & Honors Choirs, choral festivals, and workshops for youth and their conductors. She has distinguished herself for her unique ways of achieving excellence in choral blend, intonation and sensitive singing. Mrs. Urda holds a degree in Music Education and Voice from Florida State University School of Music. She is a former public school Music Specialist and has spent the majority of her professional life serving as a church musician, directing children’s, youth and adult choirs. She holds membership in Chorister’s Guild and the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), for which ahe has previously served as Repertoire and Standards Chair for Children’s Choirs for the Georgia division of ACDA. She currently serves as the Director of Youth and Children’s Choirs at Tucker First United Methodist Church.

2012 Middle School Treble Choir Repertoire

• Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel by Ken Berg | Hal Leonard – 08703266 – SSA – 1.80
• Each Child by Eleanor Daley | Kellman Hall – 05-20MMP07 – SSA – 2.25
• The Magic Store (#4 from ‘A Song Cycle for choir of Unchanged Voices’) by Alexander Tilley | Leslie Music (Ontario) – HC5026 – SSA – 2.50
• The Rhythm of Life by Richard Barnes, Arr. | Shawnee Press – B-420 – SSA – 2.50
• Roger Bobo Plays the Tuba by Brian Holmes | Roger Dean/Lorenz – 15/1736R – SSA – 2.50
• My Lord What A Morning by Rollo Dilworth, Arr. | Colla Voce – 21-20263 – 4 part Treble – 1.65

2012 Middle School Mixed Choir

JUDY BOWERS, Professor of Choral Music Education at Florida State University, teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in choral music and music education, as well as conducting the Women’s Glee Club, a performing group that also provides Adopt-A-Choir and Study-Buddy partnerships with area secondary public school choirs. She has received a University Award for Excellence in Teaching at FSU.

As a choral educator, she is an active conductor of all-state and honor choirs across the United States, and in 2005 was awarded the Wayne Hugoboom Distinguished Service Award from the Florida ACDA Chapter. Bowers frequently presents workshops and clinics for teachers, and her research interests include developmental choral groups, the adolescent voice change, learning partnerships, and voice use of music teachers and students. She has published in the Journal of Research in Music Education and the Bulletin for the Council of Research in Music Education, was a contributing author to the MENC publication Music at the Middle School Level, as well as contributing a chapter to two GIA publications:  The School Choral Program:  Philosophy, Planning, Organizing, and Teaching, by Holt and Jordan, and Teaching Music Through Performance (Middle School), by Abrahams and Head.  Bowers was co-editor of another MENC publication, Strategies for Teaching Elementary and Middle-Level Choir.

Professor Bowers holds music degrees from Louisiana State University (Ph.D.) and Texas Tech University (B.M.E.). From 1990-2000, she led the Capital Children’s Choir program at FSU and more recently has developed a community service partnership with an urban middle school. Since 2000, this collaboration has provided additional music ensembles for the middle school students (a jazz band, steel drum ensembles, and a world music choir) while also enriching the teacher preparation experiences for Florida State University students.

2012 Middle School Mixed Choir Repertoire

• Ich will den Namen Gottes loben by Kuhnau/arr. Liebergen | Shawnee Press – A2203 – SATB – 2.65
• Cover Me With the Night by Andrea Ramsey | Alliance Music – AMP0766 – TTB – 1.90
• Cantate Domino by Mark Hayes | Heritage Music Press – 15/2698H – SATB – 1.95
• Michael Row the Boat Ashore by Neil Ginsberg, Arr | Santa Barbara Music Press – SBMP235 – SSA – 1.55
• I Dream a World by André J. Thomas | Heritage Music Press – 15/1752H – SATB – 1.85
• Tournez, Tournez! by Z. Randall Stroope | Alliance Music – AMP 0499 – SATB – 1.80