Choral Ensembles

Under the umbrella of the Department of Fine and Performing Arts, the Music Program at Loyola offers four choirs: University Chorale, University Singers, Schola Cantorum, and Ignatian Voices (Chamber Choir).

In recent years, the choirs have performed the Faure Requiem, Mozart Requiem, Brahms Requiem, Beethoven Choral Fantasy, Orff Carmina Burana, Lang Little Match Girl Passion, Britten Ceremony of Carols, Snider Mass for the Endangered, McDowall Everyday Wonders, and James Whitbourn’s Annelies, which the choruses performed with the Grammy-nominated Lincoln Trio. In 2019 they premiered Wendel Patrick’s My Four Suns, with poetry by Ursula Rucker in a program addressing child welfare, and in 2021 they performed Joel Thompson’s Seven Last Words of the Unarmed with the Kontras Quartet. In Spring of 2024, the combined ensembles were reviewed by the Chicago Classical Review for their premiere of Dongryul Lee's “Kyrie” from Missa Laudato Si, which was performed with guest artists from The EcoVoice Project.

Committed to environmental justice, the choirs frequently perform at the annual LUC Climate Conference in collaboration with the dance division. Other concerts have included programming for Black History Month, Disabilities Awareness Month, Women’s Day, Election Day, and Earth Day. For the past ten years, they have produced sold-out performances of their Lessons and Carols program, as well as the Family Weekend Concert, which brings together Loyola’s choral and instrumental ensembles.

The choirs have worked with professional choral ensembles, such as the William Ferris Chorale, Bella Voce, Voices of Madonna, and the Canadian Chamber Choir, as well as LUC ensembles including Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and many other visiting artists. They have toured Italy twice in recent years and have also performed in venues around the Chicagoland area.

For more information, contact Director of Choral and Vocal Activities, Kirsten Hedegaard, khedegaard@luc.edu.

 

University Chorale

Course Details

MUSC 107: University Chorus (Section 101: University Chorale )	University Chorale
Jennifer Budziak, Conductor	1 Credit
Mondays and Wednesdays, 4:15pm-5:30pm
University Chorale is a select SATB ensemble for those wishing to develop advanced choral skills and a better understanding of various styles of choral music composed for SATB ensemble. University Chorale performs several times per semester and frequently collaborates with other Loyola ensembles. This class satisfies the Engaged Learning requirement in the Public Performance category. If you wish to sing with University Chorale, please enroll for the course and attend the Vocal Placement Appointments during the first week of classes. Click here to sign up.

 

University Singers

Course Details

MUSC 107: University Chorus (Section 102: University Singers)	University Singers
Jennifer Budziak, Conductor	1 Credit
Mondays and Wednesdays 2:45PM - 4:00pmPM
University Singers is a select treble ensemble for those wishing to develop advanced choral skills and a better understanding of various styles of choral music composed for sopranos and altos. University Singers performs several times per semester and frequently collaborates with other Loyola ensembles. This class satisfies the Engaged Learning requirement in the Public Performance category. If you wish to sing with University Singers, please enroll for the course and attend the Vocal Placement Appointments during the first week of classes. Click here to sign up.

 

Liturgical Choir (Schola)

Course Details

MUSC 108	Liturgical Choir (Schola)
Peter Morey, Director Contact Christopher Madsen, Director of Ensembles	1 Credit
Wednesdays 5:30PM - 8:00PM
Liturgical Choir (Shola) is an SATB ensemble providing music for the Sunday liturgies in Madonna della Strada Chapel and other university liturgical and choral functions and concerts. Repertoire includes both traditional and contemporary liturgical music.  Admission through audition. This class satisfies the Engaged Learning requirement in the Public Performance category. For information about auditioning for Liturgical Choir, click here.

 

Chamber Choir (Ignatian Voices)

Course Details

MUSC 207	Chamber Choir (Ignatian Voices)
Kirsten Hedegaard, Conductor	1 Credit
Mondays, 7:00PM - 9:30PM
Ignatian Voices is a projet based chamber ensemble that provides rigorous, pre-professional experiences for Loyola students. Ignatian Voices performs several times per semester and collaborates with faculty, alumni, and professional guest artists. This class satisfies the Engaged Learning requirements in the Public Performance category. For information about auditioning for Chamber Choir (Ignatian Voices), click here.