Vocal Music/Choir Strand
Though many of our members are part of the Fine Arts Academy, Mac Choirs welcome all enthusiastic singers who want to be part of our musical family. Back by popular and artistic demand is our dynamic director, Mr. Malcolm Nelson. Mr. Nelson has spent many years conducting choirs and directing musicals in high schools throughout the Austin area. Staging musical productions and working with young musicians are Mr. Nelson's passions.
McCallum proudly hosts five talented choirs:
Genesis - Freshmen Girls
Junior Varsity Women
Varsity Men
Varsity Women
First Edition - Mixed Varsity Choir
Students in each of these choirs develop theory and sight reading skills, participate in district and U.I.L. competitions, and perform all types of choral music. All five choirs come together for concerts and special performances throughout the year and learn the stage techniques for performing in musicals and concert productions.
Join us on the following dates and enjoy beautiful voices:
Fall Choir Concert set for October 14 at 7pm - Each girls' choir will perform their own music and the boys choir will perform "in Taberna" from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. The Orff piece will be performed with members of the Academy Chamber Orchestra (Ricky Pringle conductor) and members of the percussion section of the band (Matt Ehlers, conductor). Also on the fall concerts, combined choirs will debut two movements of Franz Schubert's Mass in G and will perform a lovely Irish folksong with fiddle accompaniment, The Rising of the Moon.
All City Choir October 28 at 7pm at the Delco Center (Someday, these performances will be in the new AISD Performing Arts Center rather than a sport arena!) At McCallum, All-City choir members are chosen on the basis of their dedication, ability and interest in participating in the program. Students will soon be informed of their chosen status for All-City 2008. Repertoire will include Elijah Rock, Bring Him Home, Sing Me to Heaven and a combined number with the other choirs. Chosen singers have a mandatory rehearsal at Austin High Tuesday, Oct. 7 from 6pm - 8:30 pm.
CABARET AUDITIONS Monday, October 29 after school in the choir room Students should come prepared to sing (a capella) 16-32 bars of an upbeat song of their choice in Broadway style. Cabaret's theme will be Broadway from the 1890's - 1939. Music of George Cohen will be featured on Act 2.
CARNEGIE HALL - 2009
Final arrangement are now being made with more details to follow on the combined choir and orchestra June 13th performance in New York City.
McCallum choirs frequently perform major classical works for chorus
and orchestra with our outstanding Chamber Orchestra. Pictured to the left
is the 2006 performance of Handel's Messiah. Other collaborations
have included Franz Schubert's Mass in G and Antonio Vivaldi's Gloria