Oregon State University Chamber Choir
During the last decade, Oregon State University has become a
center for excellence in choral music in the Pacific Northwest. As the
premiere chorale ensemble at OSU, the OSU Chamber Choir, under the
direction of Dr. Steven Zielke, has garnered national attention and
international awards. While touring Eastern Europe in 2001, the choir
received the Grand Prize at the Festival of Light in Bulgaria, and in
April 2006, the Chamber Choir was selected as the only collegiate mixed
choir from outside of the state of Utah to perform at the 60th Music
Educators National Biennial Conference in Salt Lake City. The choir has performed in many exciting venues, including a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in Smetana Hall in Prague and at Strathov Monastery in Prague Castle, the first choir allowed to perform in the monastery in decades. The choir has also toured Germany, China, British Columbia, and the Southwestern United States. They perform regularly in state and regional music conferences and on art series throughout Oregon. In the summer of 2008, the choir returns to Europe to present concerts in Germany and perform a Jubilee concert as part of the 40th anniversary of the Oregon/Baden-Württemberg academic exchange program.
While many of the singers are preparing for careers in music education and vocal performance, members have frequently come from academic disciplines from throughout the university. The singers share a desire for expressive and artistic performances through the performance of significant and meaningful choral music. In addition to the a cappella repertoire, the choir has performed the chamber orchestra/choral literature, including Stravinsky's "Symphony of Psalms", Bernstein's "Chichester Psalms", Haydnâ's "Saint Theresian Messe", Bach's "Magnificat", Poulenc's "Gloria", Mozart's "Vesperae solennes de Confessore", and Walton's "Belshazzar's Feast".
The choir also provides a stage for nationally known choral composers to premier new music. In June 2005, the choir premiered a new six-movement work for percussion and chorus by Libby Larson entitled, "I Dream of Peace". The work was based on children's poetry from the former Yugoslavia. In June 2006, the Chamber Choir hosted American composer David Childs as he presented a new work entitled "The Messenger". They have previously recorded several CDs, including "Lux," "A Holiday Celebration in Beaver Nation," and ""O Lovely Night."
Dr. Steven M. Zielke is the Director of Choral Studies at Oregon State University and an Associate Professor in the Department of Music. A native of Kansas, he attended graduate school at Florida State University and taught at the University of Arizona before coming to Oregon State University and the beautiful Willamette Valley. His choirs have appeared around the world in more than 10 different countries. Despite an exhilarating schedule, Zielke enjoys playing with his children, cheering for the Beavers, and gardening with his wife Nicola.
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The Season
The Musicians
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| Silver
Anniversary Gala October 5 |
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| All Amadeus November 3 and 4 |
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| Baroque
for the Holidays December 10, 11 and 12 |
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| French Roast January 19 and 20 |
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| Vestiges March 15 and 16 |
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| Mozart's
Influence May 3 and 4 |