Utah Valley University Chamber Choir
Utah Valley University
Orem, Utah
Bio: The Utah Valley University Chamber Choir is composed of thirty-two undergraduates who share a passion for collective vocal artistry. The choir fearlessly seeks to embody the highest standards of musical excellence with vulnerability, drama, unity, and compassion. With the direction of Reed Criddle, the UVU Chamber Choir has twice performed at the National Conference of the National Collegiate Choral Organization and the Western Region Conference of ACDA, as well as numerous Utah state conferences of ACDA and UMEA.
Ensemble Statement: Utah Valley University is an “open-enrollment institution” - a 100% acceptance rate designation that only a handful of comprehensive universities across the countries hold. In this regard, inclusion of all people (regardless of background or academic preparation) is at the core of its mission. As a result, our choir strives to include people of all social, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds, including students of all majors. Situated in a US state that is culturally homogenous, we choose diverse repertoire that intentionally explores minoritized cultures in our service area and cultures beyond those found in our state. Students and faculty collaborate in this repertoire selection process. We regularly invite guest speakers, conductors, and linguists to our rehearsals to enrich our understanding of the music’s cultural contexts and meanings. The university also has a dual function as both a community college with trades certificates (e.g. auto shop apprenticing, pilot training, culinary arts, etc.) and as a university offering two-year associate degrees and four-year bachelor’s degrees. Therefore, while we have submitted an ACDA performance application as an “University ensemble,” we have no graduate programs in Music and are a completely undergraduate program. To the best of my knowledge, no other university with the community college/university dual mission and no other university with an open-enrollment charter has ever performed at a national ACDA conference. We hope to be the first.
