Northern Michigan University Director of Choirs Erin Colwitz has been selected to conduct the SATB (Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass) High School Honors Choir at the 20th annual Michigan Music Conference Jan. 23-25 in Grand Rapids. She will guide some of the best singers in the state through a rigorous 2.5 days of rehearsal in preparation for their performance at the closing concert of the event, which is hosted by the Michigan School Vocal Music Association (MSVMA).
“This is a huge honor,” Colwitz said. “Having the opportunity to conduct this choir will connect me with 100 fantastic singers, which will be excellent for recruitment. It will also increase visibility for Northern's Music Department because the conference drew about 9,000 attendees last year. The audition protocol for these state honor choirs is very stringent. The students must come with all the notes learned and memorized. I chose a repertoire of a cappella music. Each piece is very difficult. But I told the MSVMA teachers that since they gifted me a Maserati, I'm gonna take it for a spin.”
Her song selections range from a 16th century piece by Italian composer Giovanni Gabrieli to the challenging closing number: Freddie Mercury's Somebody to Love, an arrangement by the San Francisco-based professional chorus Chanticleer.
“For these students, singing in the honors choir is a big deal; they are excited to be there and willing to work hard, which will make it very productive and rewarding for me,” Colwitz added. “I didn't make it into Wisconsin's honors choir until my senior year because it was so competitive, but when I did, it proved to be a life-changing experience. I made some great friends and worked with phenomenal conductors who made it engaging and fun. I hope to play a role in providing a similar experience for the Michigan students.”
Colwitz had previously headlined workshops and seminars at the Michigan Music Conference. Last year, the organizers invited her to bring the NMU Choir to sing at a conducting symposium in which five individuals took turns directing the choir and she critiqued their performance. When Colwitz was nominated to conduct one of the honors choirs, she submitted a bio and repertoire. She was informed last summer that she would be leading the SATB choir at this month's conference.
The closing concert is at 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, at DeVos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids. Find more information on the conference here.