USF Festival of Voices is a 2-day workshop for High School choral students conducted by Dr. James K. Bass and Dr. Bryon Grohman culminating in a Finale Concert presented in collaboration with The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. Students sing side-by-side with members of USF choral ensembles and The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. Festival of Voices consistently draws 350+ high school choral students from over 30 schools representing 8 counties in Florida.
| Photos (below) from 2013 Festival of Voices | Thanks to Nhick Pacis for the video (above)! |
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Students participate in one of two “All-State” quality honors choruses and work closely with the Festival directors in intense rehearsals over the two-day period focusing on musicianship skills, voice building, and ensemble performance. The combined choirs then rehearse and perform ‘side-by-side’ with The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay and two University of South Florida college choirs (Chamber Singers and Collegiate Singers) as part of the Festival’s Finale Concert – approximately 500 singers in all.
Festival of Voices allows high school students the opportunity to work with seasoned professionals on traditional and exciting new choral repertoire as well as providing for a large choral experience that is generally unavailable to students of that age. This event gives students an active, participatory role in learning about and singing great choral music and also offers access to one of the nation’s foremost symphonic choirs. Following this experience, students understand the history, performance and cultural contexts of the selected choral works as well as understand the role singing can play in their lives after high school and college.
Festival of Voices allows high school students the opportunity to work with seasoned professionals on traditional and exciting new choral repertoire as well as providing for a large choral experience that is generally unavailable to students of that age. This event gives students an active, participatory role in learning about and singing great choral music and also offers access to one of the nation’s foremost symphonic choirs. Following this experience, students understand the history, performance and cultural contexts of the selected choral works as well as understand the role singing can play in their lives after high school and college.
