Fine Arts Division

Choral Activities

The choral program of Pepperdine University, under the direction of Dr. Ryan Board, offers a choice of three outstanding ensembles in which to participate- the Concert Choir, Collegium Musicum, and Chamber Singers.

 

The Concert Choir is the largest mixed performing group made up of all music majors and/or music award recipients, as well as talented singers from other disciplines throughout the Seaver campus. The Concert Choir performs a variety of literature, which includes the performance  of a large masterwork once each year. 

Under the direction of conductor N. Lincoln Hanks, D.Mus., the Collegium Musicum has served Pepperdine University and the general community as a highly selective, artistic and educational ensemble of singers and instrumentalists.  This diverse group of student musicians has performed music from the outermost edges of the concert repertoire, playing early music from Dunstable to Mozart, as well as works of 20th century and contemporary masters from Messiaen to Pärt.  Calling Pepperdine University's stunning Stauffer Chapel its home, the Collegium has also performed internationally, performing Henrich Schütz's profound Die Sieben Worte Jesu Christiam dem Kreuz in Heidelberg's Providenz Kirche.

By definition a collegium musicum is a gathering of student instrumentalists and singers who learn the performance styles of unique repertoires of music, culminating in a public performance.  Pepperdine's Collegium provides its music students with valuable performance experience with specialized subjects such as early and contemporary notation, ornamentation, improvisation, figured bass, continuo playing, hexachords, musica ficta and temperaments.

The Chamber Singers is a performance-based ensemble that may be a women's or mixed ensemble.  This vocal group is formed for the purpose of preparing a variety of challenging music for the smaller ensemble. 

Although performance is considered to be of the utmost importance, the philosophy of the choral program is much deeper.  Each student is urged to use ensemble participation in a threefold manner:

1. To enhance one's development of the technical science of music and vocal production in a choral laboratorial environment.
2. To advance the science of transforming the composer's intentions into an inspiring art form.
3. To engage in the University's mission by sharing the gift of music in a wholesome atmosphere of Christian service to society.

For further information please contact the director of choral activities, Dr. Ryan Board at (310) 506-7324 or Ryan.Board@pepperdine.edu.