Wits Choirs in concert with Missouri State University Chorale

The Wits Choirs in concert with Missouri State University Chorale, USA is an event that will offer something to everyone’s taste.

It is no secret that music has always played a significant role in building bridges between people, communities, cultures and even countries. Activists, politicians, community leaders, historians and academics have noted the importance of song and music in mobilising communities, highlighting issues, building alliances, galvanising action and forging bonds. Music knows no boundaries and its appeal defies the narrow categories of race, class, gender and age.

With this in mind, and coupled with their motto “Excellence Through Diversity”, Wits Choir and the Young Wits Choir, under the expert leadership of conductor Dalene Hoogenhout, will host the Missouri State University Chorale in a once-off performance. An express objective is to use our brand of music and joy of singing to share the wonderful treasure of our mostly home-grown repertoire with our American guest choir.

The Chorale under the direction of Dr. Cameron F. LaBarr, is the flagship touring choir of Missouri State's Department of Music. This select choir of approximately 50 voices performs regularly at conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, Missouri Music Educators Association, and the National Association for Music Education, and has toured throughout the United States and Europe. In May 2015, the MSU Chorale performed by invitation at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina. Members of Chorale also perform in Grand Chorus. They will be on tour in South Africa in May 2016. The three choirs will also render some combined items representing the two countries’ repertoire.

The Wits Choirs in concert with Missouri State University Chorale, USA is an event that will offer something to everyone’s taste and it is a collaborative effort which promises to be a joy to chorister and audience member alike.

Cameron F. LaBarr is director of choral studies at Missouri State University where he leads a comprehensive choral program including over 200 singers in five choirs. He has held university choral positions at Lee University (Cleveland, Tennessee) and the University of North Texas. He holds a Bachelor of Music from Missouri State University, where he studied with Dr. Guy B. Webb, and he earned a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of North Texas, where he studied choral and orchestral conducting with Dr. Jerry McCoy and Maestro David Itkin. Dr. LaBarr has been awarded conducting fellowships at the Yale International Choral Festival, the Sarteano (Italy) Chamber Choir Workshop, and was named a Salzburg Fellow in April 2014, where he participated in the Salzburg Seminar: Conflict Transformation through Peace-Building and the Arts. Dr. LaBarr has worked as guest conductor and clinician for various institutions and international festivals across the United States, Europe, South Africa and China. 

The Choral Studies programme at Missouri State University includes Chorale, Men’ Chorus, Women’s Chorus, Choral Union and Grand Chorus, as well as a graduate conducting program. Choirs from Missouri State perform regularly at conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, Missouri Educators Association and the National Association for Music Education, and have toured throughout the United States and Europe. The choral program at Missouri State University was led for 34 years (1980-2014) by emeritus faculty Dr. Guy B. Webb, during which the program experienced substantial growth and gained a highly acclaimed reputation both nationally and abroad. A variety of advanced choral repertoire is performed in concerts and tours throughout the year.

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