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History

For such a young institution, the University of South Florida enjoys a remarkably proud history in choral music and choral music education. The American Choral Directors Association was founded under the leadership of the first Director of Choral Activities at USF, Wayne Hugoboom. USF choirs have collaborated with some of the premier choral masters of our time, including Robert Shaw, Dale Warland, Sir David Willcocks, Paul Salamunovich, Ward Swingle, and Alice Parker. Additionally, USF choirs have worked with living composers such as Norman Dello Joio, Stephen Paulus, Libby Larsen, and Eleanor Daley among others.  The USF Chamber Singers, our flagship choral organization, routinely collaborates with The Florida Orchestra and The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay to present the most important choral/orchestral music of the repertoire, including Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, Verdi's Requiem, Bach's Mass in B Minor, Handel's Messiah among other important monuments of the choral art. USF choirs have toured the state, the nation, and the world.

In June 2003, the USF Chamber Singers traveled on a 16-day tour to Germany and Poland.  They participated in the 38^th International Festival of Choral Song in Miedzyzdroje, Poland being named the Grand Prix Champion Choir of the Festival, received the Gold Diploma for highest standard of performance and the Musica Sacra Award for best sacred music performance.

USF choral music students have been acknowledged for their excellence in a number of important ways. Two students (James Bass, 1996, and Stephanie Santoro, 1998) were named the Outstanding Graduating Senior for all of USF (a very important recognition at the nation's 13th largest university.)  Seven students have been national finalists or semi-finalists in the American Choral Directors Association Conducting Competition. Daniel Petrie and Kristy Cawthon both advanced to the finals in the 2003 competition  in New York City.  Carrie Kirby was the undergraduate winner of the 2001 competition. Other semi-finalists include undergraduates James Bass (1995), Jennifer Regal (1999 and 2001), and graduate student, Jeremy Silverman, a finalist in the 2001 graduate competition.

Choral studies at USF are led by internationally recognized faculty: Dr. Richard Zielinski, Director of Choral Activities and Dr. Robert Summer, Coordinator of Graduate Choral Studies.   Substantial financial assistance through scholarship and graduate assistantships is available for deserving students. Please contact the USF School of Music to receive additional information about our choral programs, as well as scholarship dates and requirements. The University of South Florida wants to be your "University of First Choice" for studies in choral music.