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CLEARWATER CHORAL FESTIVAL 2023

OCTOBER 20 & 21, 2023

APPLICATION 2024 COMING SOON
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is pleased to present the
31st Annual Clearwater Choral Festival
.

Under the direction of
Dr. Frank A. Watkins & Dr. Christopher G. McGinley
, 
the two-day festival will feature three performances.

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ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
The Clearwater Choral Festival offers high school students from the greater Wisconsin-Minnesota area an opportunity to collaborate in an advanced ensemble directed by our outstanding UW-Eau Claire Choral Faculty. Students sample the fast-paced rehearsal process of collegiate choir while learning repertoire chosen for its musical excellence and finish the festival day with a culminating concert. The festival features performances by several university choral ensembles over the course of two days, as well as a scholarship competition for outstanding vocalists interested in attending UW-Eau Claire. Learn more about how your students can be part of the festival below!

APPLYING

​​Ensemble Applications

Directors may nominate up to five balanced octets (40 students total) of talented singers using the online application. Directors will be notified of selected students on a rolling admissions basis. Nominations are due Monday, October 2. Directors will be notified of selected students starting Friday, October 6.


Note: We recognize that all schools may not be able to submit balanced octets. Please do not leave out any students because of this. Please submit all names and a selection will be made.

REpertoire

The Clearwater Choral Festival takes pride in the quality of repertoire that is selected for the festival choir each year. For the 30th Annual Festival, the UWEC Choral Faculty has worked diligently to choose repertoire that upholds the standards of excellence we showcase in our festivals and ensembles.

Repertoire:
Last Words of David – Randall Thompson
EC Schirmer – 2294

Gloria from Mass in G – Franz Schubert arr. Russell Robinson
Carl Fischer Music Publishing - CM9306

Where the Light Begins – Susan Labarr
Walton Music - WW1939 

​Hope Lingers On – Andrea Ramsey

​PRACTICE TRACKS

Packets are ordered through using the Application Form.
Packet price for individual member: 
$11.15 plus shipping
The Musician's Choice, LLC
1520 North Church Road –Suite D
Liberty, MO 64068
816.781.9700
Fax: 816.781.3299
Toll Free: 888.571.6640
themusicianschoice@yahoo.com

Payment

The participation fee for each student is $30 (does not cover cost of music), and is due upon registration October 21. Participating students will receive a complimentary digital recording of the final concert and a Clearwater Festival T-shirt. All meals will be on your own while attending the festival. Checks for the participation fee ($30 per student) will be collected at registration and should be made payable to the UWEC Choral Area. No school purchase orders, please.

*Any students that drop after Friday, October 13th or do not attend the festival the day of will be charged only $15 per student to cover their festival t-shirt and other expenses.

Note: Ensembles are responsible for purchasing their music packets via the invoice shipped with the music. 

OuTstanding Vocalist Award

UW –Eau Claire Choral Festival Scholarship, $1500.00

The UW-Eau Claire Department of Music offers $1,500.00 in Choral Scholarship(s) to qualifying high school senior members of the Clearwater Festival Honor Choir. Participants must prepare a memorized classical solo for the audition. The Voice/Choral Faculty will determine scholarship recipients & outstanding vocalist(s) will perform at the Festival Concert Saturday evening. Scholarship recipients are required to participate in a choral ensemble at UW-Eau Claire during the 2024-25 academic year in order to receive the scholarship.
​
Outstanding Vocalist Award Adjudicators:
Christine Amon, mezzo-soprano
Emily Sternfeld-Dunn, soprano
Mark Mowry, tenor
Kenneth Pereira, baritone
​
Please complete the Outstanding Vocalist Award Form and submit by Monday, October 9. 
​

Director Schedule
SAMPLE

​7:45am    - Student Registration Haas Fine Arts Center
8:00am    - Director's Lounge
9:00am    - Reading Session #1
10:30am  - Reading Session #2
12:00pm  - Lunch Break
1:15pm    - UW-Eau Claire Choral Area Concert
2:30pm    - Guest High School Choir Rehearsal
3:00pm    - Director's Session
4:30pm    - Dinner Break
7:30pm    - Clearwater Choral Festival Concert
Student Schedule
SAMPLE

​7:45am    - Student Registration Haas Fine Arts Center
8:30am    - Full Rehearsal
9:00am    - Sectionals
10:00am  - Outstanding Soloist Competition
10:00am  - Combined Sectional
11:00am  - Full Rehearsal
11:15am  - Outstanding Soloist Recalls
12:00pm  - Lunch Break
1:15pm    - UW-Eau Claire Choral Area Concert
2:15pm    - Full rehearsal
2:30pm    - Guest High School Choir Rehearsal
4:00pm    - Full Rehearsal
4:45pm    - Dinner Break
6:30pm    - Honor Choir Warm Up
7:30pm    - Clearwater Choral Festival Concert
A Cappella Extravaganza
Schofield Hall Auditorium


From pop to renaissance, this must-see performance by our university a cappella ensembles showcases the art of a cappella singing. Our university a cappella groups are student-led and consist of both music majors and non-majors. 
Purchase tickets online or at the UW-Eau Claire Service Center – 715.836.4636. Tickets are $7. 
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F E A T U R I N G . . .
​
Fifth Element,
Callisto, Impromptu, Audacious,
and The ​Innocent Men

 Choral Area Preview Concert - 1:15pm
Gantner Concert Hall
​ 
Featuring Women's Concert Chorale and the Singing Statesmen

In the middle of the day, UW-Eau Claire's Women's Concert Chorale and Singing Statesmen will perform for the participating students at Clearwater Choral Festival with the chance for a Q&A session afterwards.
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 Festival Concert - 7:30pm
 Pablo Center at the Confluence - RCU Theatre
​ 
Featuring Festival Honor Choir, UW-Eau Claire Choirs,
​Outstanding Soloist Award winners, and Featured Festival Choir.


The Festival Concert concludes the weekend of choral excellence. At this concert, the Festival Honor Choir of over 200 regional high school students will showcase the repertoire they worked hard to learn during the festival day. The concert will also feature performances by our university's Concert Choir and Novum Voce, the winners of the Outstanding Soloist Awards, and the Featured Festival Choir: Woodbury High School's Concert Choir. Tickets may be purchased from the Pablo Center at the Confluence at www.pablocenter.org



F E A T U R E D  F E S T I V A L  C H O I R

Woodbury High School Concert Choir
Tony Streng, director
    

Questions?
Contact Dr. Frank Watkins, Director of Choral Activities
(
watkinfa@uwec.edu) or via phone at 715.836.2329, or 

Emmett McMorrow, Choral Area Assistant
​(mcmorrej7668@uwec.edu).
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