La Crosse Chamber Chorale founder returns for a joint concert with the NDSU Choir | Local News

NDSU conductor Dr. Jo Ann Miller founded the choir in 1986 in La Crosse while teaching in the music department at UW-La Crosse.

This is a free/no ticket event. There is a suggested donation of $5 per person. This concert is sponsored by Glen Skewes, Dr James Munn and Diane Foust (former singers of the original Chamber Chorale).

The NDSU Choir will be at English Lutheran on Friday afternoon at 1pm to rehearse.

Miller spoke of the early days of the Chorale:

“When I started teaching at UW-L, I was fresh out of my doctoral program. My choirs at UW-L included the women’s choir, the symphonic choir, and a jazz choir. I I was eager to do the repertoire I had studied in my graduate work and most did not fit easily into these choirs My colleague, Joyce Grill (piano teacher at UW-L for many years ) was very encouraging when I asked her if she thought there would be interest in a choral community in La Crosse. She volunteered to be my pianist and off we went!

“We rehearsed for four years at the Pump House, with all singers, program designers, pianists, other instrumentalists, etc. all volunteers. The Pump House also allowed us to rehearse in the space for free. It was a true labor of love. The singers bought their own music, helped find venues for our performances, handed out programs and did all the work necessary to give our concerts. The Crosse Chamber Chorale is the ensemble that m allowed me to grow as a musician, a conductor and a “producer”. Some of the programs we did are still among my favorites. The people who sang with me during those years hold a special place. in my heart.