Vocal/Choral Groups

The GT Choirs: "Singing wonderful music wonderfully"

Welcome to Music at Georgia Tech! Every semester, over 1000 students participate in the music program at GT through a variety of instrumental and choral ensembles, academic classes, research in cutting-edge music technology, and performance opportunities on the campus, across the US, and overseas. Coming to Georgia Tech as a student non-music major will offer you myriad opportunities for participation in world-class music making at the collegiate level that are not possible at other institutions.

The Choral Program at Georgia Tech is in the midst of an exciting and remarkable era of transition. Over the past several years, GT choirs have experienced dramatic growth as performances and repertoire have exponentially increased in quantity and quality. Solo performing opportunities exist for singers in every ensemble. Whether you are an all-state singer with an AP Theory background, or a person who wants to try singing for the first time, there is a place for you in one of the Georgia Tech choral ensembles! The following choral opportunities are available at Georgia Tech

The Chorale is Georgia Tech's largest mixed ensemble. Open to all students, its members represent all colleges in the institute and many countries around the world. No audition is required to join the Chorale, and it is open to members of the Georgia Tech community (students, faculty & staff) and Mid-Town Atlanta residents who enjoy singing. It rehearses M/W from 4.30-6.00 PM. The Chorale performs large works with orchestra, as well as smaller works from many styles and eras. It regularly performs on and off-campus in the Atlanta community. The Chorale recently performed with Eileen Ivers (violinist for Riverdance).

The Chamber Choir is Tech's select, mixed vocal ensemble. Founded in 1998, the choir has established itself as one of the premiere college vocal ensembles in the Southern United States. Singers are selected through audition, and the Chamber Choir attracts the finest choral musicians on the Tech campus. Its members are principally all-state-level singers who have extensive background in ensemble singing. It rehearses on T/R from 4.30-6.00 PM. The Chamber Choir performs challenging literature with a special emphasis on modern works using extended vocal technique. The GT Chamber Choir recently toured the Southeast in Phos Hilaron, a multi-media performance-art presentation with world-class theologians Marcus Borg and Jon Dominic Crossan.

Repertoire for these mixed ensembles varies from semester to semester. Over the past six years, repertoire has included Britten Rejoice in the Lamb, Durufle’ Requiem, Distler Totentanz, Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms, Mozart Solemn Vespers and Requiem, Hadyn Te Deum, two Handel Coronation Anthems, Bach Cantata 214 and Cantata 80, Bernstein Chichester Psalms, Orff Carmina Burana, Corigliano Fern Hill, Copland In the Beginning, Faure Requiem, Vaughan William’s Five Mystical Songs, numerous smaller works, modern and commissioned works, and music with texts in sixteen different languages. The Chorale and Chamber Choir were recently featured at the College Music Society National Conference, and served as the chorus in the Atlanta Ballet production of Mozart’s Magic Flute.

The Georgia Tech Glee Club is the oldest student organization on the Georgia Tech campus and the oldest college glee club in the Southeast. Founded in 1906, its rich performing tradition includes numerous national and international tours, television appearances (twice on the Ed Sullivan Show), radio broadcasts and recordings. Over the past five years, the Glee Club has experienced a “renaissance” of sorts, taking the campus and community by storm with its “healthily irreverent” blend of music, drama, and vocal/visual performance antics. The group sings entirely original arrangements of mostly unaccompanied music, utilizing vocal percussion, movement, and technology.

In 2006 and 2007 the Glee Club served as featured Ensemble-in-Residence in Honolulu at the Hawaii International Conference on Arts & Humanities. In 2007, the Glee Club released Sing, Kindred Voices its first studio CD recording of all original arrangements and compositions.

In spring, 2008 the Glee Club performed a solo debut concert to a standing ovation in New York City’s Carnegie Hall, and later that spring, completed a successful ten-day tour of the UK. In 2009, the Glee Club performed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. They were also featured in an A Cappella Festival at The George Washington University and sang at the historic Episcopal Church of the Epiphany. In May 2010, the group will embark on a weeklong tour of California. The Glee Club has recently shared the stage with Kenny Chesney, Joe Walsh; performed for U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, Governor Perdue, Mayor Franklin, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and appeared live on national television on ESPN and the Weather Channel.

The newly formed GT Women’s Chorus showcases the talents of Georgia Tech’s burgeoning female population. Under the direction of Dr. Melissa Arasi, the ensemble has quickly established itself as a marvelous performance outlet for SSAA literature.

All the GT choral ensembles provide opportunities for singers to become actively engaged in the rehearsal and performance process. These ensembles have recently appeared at Spivey Hall, the Fox Theatre, the World Congress Center, Turner Field, the State Capitol, the Rialto Theatre, the High Museum of Art, and numerous Atlanta churches including the Cathedral of Saint Philip, All Saints’ Episcopal, Roswell United Methodist, First Presbyterian Atlanta, and First United Methodist of Atlanta.

All ensembles rehearse in the center of campus. Academic credit (counting towards Humanities requirements) is available for participation. If you are interested in joining any ensemble, or attending a rehearsal or concert, please contact Jerry Ulrich, Director of Choral Activities at julrich@gatech.edu.