The Montclair State University choral program has been recognized for its successful collaborations with numerous world-renowned artists and celebrated professional musicians in national and international venues. The Cali School is home to several choirs including the MSU Chorale, MSU Singers, Vocal Accord and Prima Voce. Under the direction of Dr. Heather J. Buchanan, these choirs offer early professional experience in regular collaborations with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. MSU choirs also perform internationally and regularly in distinguished venues in NYC and New Jersey.
The Choral Program offers the most dynamic, comprehensive, and nurturing choral ensemble experiences. MSU choirs have given me the opportunity to travel the world, learn countless masterworks, and perform music at an extremely high level. There is something for everyone: with ensembles ranging in size from 175 voices to 24 voices, performing repertoire timeless and contemporary. Dr. Buchanan creates an environment where students are continually challenged to grow. We learn to be dynamic musicians, seasoned professionals, and exemplary human beings.
—Sarah Peszka,
Vocal Music Education Major, Class of 2020
Recently in the News 2020
Reopening New Jersey: Music students turn parking deck into rehearsal space ABC7 NYC
Hallelujah! Music students have choir practice in parking garage The Today Show
Musical Reunion CBS Nightly News
MSU music students rehearse in parking deck to ensure pandemic safety News 12 NJ
Chorus Offerings
Chorale
Curricular auditioned SATB symphonic choir
University Singers
Curricular auditioned SATB flagship choir
Purchase your copy of the University Singers CD “I Sing Because…”
CHORAL MUSIC THAT SUSTAINS THROUGH THE BEST AND THE WORST OF TIMES.
“I Sing Because… ” celebrates the essential role music plays in our lives: sheer joy, beauty, and fun, contrasting with consolation, inspiration, gratitude, strength, and hope.
Available for $20. Reserve yours today!
Vocal Accord SATB Extracurricular project choir
Prima Voce SSAA extracurricular project choir
Reviews for our choirs’ professional performances
…sounded stunningly professional…elegant, heartfelt performance…crisp on attacks, subtle in softer passages…a revelatory event…
From review of a performance by Prima Voce with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
of Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream…But the moments in the performance that burned brightest were the less-often played — and recorded — vocal bits. In the two choral numbers, directed by Heather J. Buchanan, Prima Voce sang with grace and precision — its articulation was such that even when singing the word “trippingly,” you could hear each syllable so that the printed text in the program was hardly needed.—NJ.com
Contact us: 973.655.7610 Heather Buchanan: buchananh@montclair.edu