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Under the direction of Dr. Robert Tocheff, Collegians will be singing along with several other top choirs, including The Ohio State University Women’s Glee Club, Singing Men of Ohio, Marietta College Concert Choir, The Ohio State University Statesmen and Ohio University Singers.

“A choral festival produces educational, social and musical benefits for all participants. Performing for an audience of your peers generates a desire to sing at one’s highest level,” said Bob Jones from University of Dayton. “Secondly, when not performing, singers become the audience for other groups, experiencing new repertoire, performance practices and musical interpretations. Finally, singers meet and mingle with students from other colleges across the state, sharing experiences and goodwill in the process.”

In 2010, Tocheff entered Collegians Chorale at this event, then hosted by The Ohio State University. He reflects “This was a growing experience for Collegians. To sing for, and to hear, outstanding choral organizations across the state gave our singers other choral models to glean from in many ways. Although the stated purpose is to create a more informal atmosphere in which to learn from one another, we certainly wanted to do our very best to provide a positive musical statement and to represent MVNU and Christian higher education well. I am proud to say that ‘we held our own.’ The event was a success on many levels.”

This year, the festival’s date presented some challenges. The MVNU ensembles do not meet or rehearse in January-term. Classes were canceled on the first day of spring semester due to weather, making it even more difficult. Collegians is faced with performing with only four days of rehearsal. Tocheff entered the group in the festival anyway. Collegians will perform a few pieces from the fall semester, and will assimilate new members as well as possible. Their program will include “Sing to the Lord” (Goemanne), “Song of Exaltation” (Beck),”Lux Aurumque” (Whitacre), “Jesus Loves Me” (arr. Hassell), “The Battle of Jericho” (Hogan) and “Yahweh” (Stefanovich). The event promises to be rewarding experience for the students and MVNU would love to have as many supports there as possible.

Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, four-year, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students and working adults. U.S. News & World Report ranks MVNU in the top 50 Regional Colleges (Midwest) for the seventh year in a row. With a 400-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, and eight additional satellite Graduate and Professional Studies sites throughout the state, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education to more than 2,600 students from 26 states and seven countries/U.S. territories.