Choir wins bid to sing at music conference

Northwest Missouri State University’s Madraliers choral ensemble is one of three college choirs across the state selected to perform for the 75th annual Missouri Music Educators Association Conference Jan. 24 at the Tan-Tar-A resort in Osage Beach.

It is the second consecutive year the Madraliers have been invited to the yearly gathering of music teachers.

The choirs were selected following competitive auditions based on recordings from the 2011-2012 academic year. Submissions were judged by a panel of out-of-state judges who were not told the names of the ensembles' home university or conductor.

"This is an enormous honor for me and the students in the choir," said Brian Lanier, associate professor of music and Madraliers' conductor. "To receive recognition for the many hours of planning, research, rehearsing and polishing repertoire that brings us to this point is truly a wonderful tribute for the choral program at Northwest."

Lanier said MMEA typically enforces a four-year waiting period between the year an ensemble performs at the conference and the year it can audition to perform again. However, the organization waived the rule this year because it is celebrating its 75th anniversary.

Northwest President John Jasinski is scheduled to attend the performance and introduce the ensemble.

The Madraliers comprises a select group of 38 undergraduate and graduate students representing a variety of disciplines and majors. In the spring, the same students perform as Celebration, the university's show choir.