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Choirs
Mars Hill Choirs
The Mars Hill University Choir
The choral program at MHU has a long and storied tradition of excellence. The Mars Hill University Choir (the department’s flagship choral ensemble) and Chamber Singers offer students meaningful artistic experiences in the choral art. With annual tours and on campus performances, choral students are an integral part of the cultural fabric of the university.
The Mars Hill University Choir has appeared multiple times at Carnegie Hall (most recently in a performance of the Fauré Requiem with the New England Symphonic Ensemble in 2017), toured internationally, and has participated on conference performances of the American Choral Directors Association and the North Carolina Music Educators Association. Admission is by audition and is open to music majors and non-majors alike.
For more information about joining a choir at Mars Hill, start here!
JOIN A CHOIR
To join or receive additional information, start here!
SCHOLARSHIPS
Several of our students receive scholarships or performance grants. The first step in obtaining additional funding for your education is to express interest in joining the choir. You can do so using the link above and we’ll be in touch!
CHORAL FESTIVAL
The 2024-2025 J. Elwood Roberts/MHU Choral Festival is scheduled for Friday and Saturday February 7-8, 2025. For more information email choralfestival@mhu.edu.
Singer On Stage/Opera Workshop
In addition to participation in choirs, students at Mars Hill may explore their interest in staged performance through Singer on Stage/Opera Workshop. Meeting in opposite semesters with chamber singers, SOS/OW gives MHU students the unique opportunity to develop their stage presence and performance skills in conjunction with their private study in voice and main choral experiences. When coupled together with other studies in the Voice Area, SOS/OW produces well-rounded performers uniquely positioned for success in the profession.
The J. Elwood Roberts/Mars Hill University Choral Festival
The J. Elwood Roberts – Mars Hill University Choral Festival was established in 1949 by the late J. Elwood Roberts to improve choral music in the high schools of western North Carolina. While in the beginning the “clinic” was comprised of about fifteen schools in the closely surrounding area, this annual event has grown into one of the premiere choral festivals in the southeast. Each year over 800 students from approximately 100 high schools audition for the Festival Choir (from which about 350 make the choir).
These students (and their teachers) attend the two-day event under the tutelage of some of the most recognized names in choral music. The 2024-2025 J. Elwood Roberts/MHU Choral Festival is scheduled for Friday and Saturday February 7-8, 2025.