Nashville School of the Arts

Choral Music Department

Choral Music Biography

The Nashville School of the Arts, established in 1993, has already distinguished itself in the area of choral music. Having won sweepstakes awards in five regional choral festivals, where they have received only superior ratings, the choral music department is consistently proving to be a cut above the norm in middle Tennessee .

The choral music department has placed five students in the highly competitive and esteemed Governor's School. Seniors routinely receive scholarships and grants to universities throughout the country, and many post-graduates are already working professionally.

The Choral forces at NSA currently include a ninth-grade Treble ensemble, a 10th -12th grade Chamber ensemble, the sixteen voice Madrigal Singers, and an Early Music Consort (EMC), which includes instruments and voices and specializes in performing medieval sacred and secular works.

Michael Graham, the Director of Choral Music at NSA, combines his students with other professionals from Universities, professional orchestra members, and churches in the middle Tennessee area to perform major works. Many of the vocal music students study privately and give two solo recitals per year. Major works performed include Bach Cantata 140 (Wachet auf), Gabrieli's Jubilate Deo (voices and brass), Mozart's Piccolomini Mass, K. 258 and Magnificat by Halsey Stevens.

A $50.00 choral fee is paid in September, which helps purchase music, adjudicators for the vocal recitals, and helps offset the costs of professional musicians in our spring concerts.

Mr. Graham believes that the relationships between parents, students, and teachers are crucial to the effectiveness of developing an artistic skill. It is the goal of this department to help the student achieve the highest level of performance, the highest knowledge of music theory and how it relates to musical understanding, and the ability to intelligently and effectively express a work of art in a manner that communicates to the heart of the listener.

Choral Groups at NSA

The Madrigal Singers are an award-winning 16 voice ensemble specializing in a cappella literature from Renaissance to the present. In addition to their own performing schedule they team with the Concert Choir to share major choral works with orchestra. Major works include the Schubert G Major Mass, the Mozart Missa Brevis in C, K.258, Bach Cantata No. 140 (Wachet Auf…), the Gabrieli Jubilate Deo, and Halsey Steven's Magnificat.		The Early Music Consort is one of the few high school EMC's in the country. Their repertoire is mostly medieval works, both secular and sacred. The singers are accompanied by cello, flute/recorder, violin, and harpsichord. The NSA EMC has been voted best group at several festivals.
The Concert Choir is a mixed ensemble that performs a variety of literature. In addition to the works mentioned above, this choir has performed works by Randall Thompson, Brahms, Dawson, Graham, and Parker/Shaw.		The Treble Ensemble is a ninth-grade SSA choir that studies the basics in sight-reading (solfege-movable do), vocal production, and music theory (all scales, key signatures, etc.). Former literature includes works by Britten, Thompson, Carter, Bach, and Bernstein.

Recordings by the Students

CDs recorded by the NSA Choral Ensembles may be ordered by contacting Director, Michael Graham at k12tn@comcast.net

Here once More: Carol of the Bells, Bring a Torch, J.I., Ave Maria, Hanukkah Festival, Joy to the World, Caroling Caroling, Shepherd's Song by the Crèche. (more) 18 tracks total.		A Spring Evening: (with orchestra) Pavane, Six medieval songs by the Early Music Consort, Finale and Lament from Dido and Aeneus. (more) 17 tracks total.		An Evening of Opera, Oratorio & Stuff: (with orchestra) Hallelujah Chorus, Opening of Act II from La Boheme, Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, Alleluia (Vivaldi Gloria), Toreador from Carmen, and Sing to Love Die Fledermaus. (more) 15 tracks total.
Click here to LISTEN (mp3 file: 1.4MB)		Click here to LISTEN (mp3 file: 2.1MB)		Click here to LISTEN (mp3 file: 1.7MB)