CHICAGO, IL (October 12, 2012) – The North Park University Chamber Singers and University Choir will perform in three Illinois communities, lead a workshop for high school students, and sing during the Illinois American Choral Directors Association convention later this month.

“The performances include a wide variety of choral repertoire,” said Julia Davids, university director of choral activities and holder of the Stephen J. Hendrickson Endowed Chair in Music, School of Music.

Some of the music may be familiar, but the 41-member choir also will perform an unusual piece written by American composer Gregg Smith. The 14-member Chamber Singers will sing, “Longing,” an unpublished composition by Canadian composer Matthew Emery, which the group was given special rights to perform.

Smith’s composition is based on Psalm 23 and was written for three choirs. “We have three different choirs singing this Psalm in three different keys at one point,” says Davids. “On the last page it breaks into 13 parts for the end, and the choir stands in a big circle.”

Performance dates and locations are:

• October 19 at 7:30 p.m. – Naperville Evangelical Covenant Church in Naperville, Illinois
• October 20 at 11 a.m. – The Holmstad, a Covenant Retirement Community in Batavia, Illinois
• October 20 at 7 p.m. – Second Congregational Church in Rockford, Illinois
• October 21 at 9:30 a.m. – worship service at Second Congregational Church in Rockford, Illinois
• October 21 at 3 p.m. – Bethesda Covenant Church in Rockford, Illinois

The choir and Davids will visit Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville to lead a workshop and perform with the school’s choral ensembles on October 19. In addition, Davids and the choir will attend the Illinois American Choral Directors Association convention in Naperville on October 20.

Davids will address the conference on vocal technique for choral conductors and singers, and the choir will also perform as part of an interactive presentation. Davids recently co-authored Vocal Technique: A Guide for Conductors, Teachers, and Singers.