Parker Music Students Collaborate with Bradley Chorale

The Upper School Advanced Choral Ensemble participated in a workshop with Bradley University’s flagship choir and shared a stage with them in a public performance.

This recent collaboration came about after ACE’s performance at the John Davis Choral Festival hosted at Bradley University last spring. The Parker group sang exceptionally well among the 12 participating Midwest school choirs and was invited to host an evening concert with the Bradley Chorale following the event. 

While preparing for this concert, teacher Christian Jackson learned that Bradley also offered a Conducting Workshop that provides students with experience being on the other side of the podium. He thought that adding this workshop to their evening concert would make the experience extra-rewarding for his students. 

Jackson said, “Dr. Cory Boulton of Bradley University is an exceptional choral leader. She is an expert at connecting with students and crafting wonderful works of art into memorable moments for both singers and audience members. When I saw her work at the festival last April, it became outstandingly clear to me that she would be a perfect collegiate conductor to bring in to connect with our students.”

In working with his students before this visit, Jackson shared some of the struggles they overcame in analyzing the text in their music. “Choral music is often based on religious texts, pop music or poetry. For this specific set of music, we focused primarily on contemporary poetry.” To analyze this text, Jackson connected with English teacher Matt Laufer, who worked with students and provided context on how the text of the songs matched the music the students were performing. “This was an awesome PA Department and English Department connection we hope to visit again in the future,” Jackson said.

Prior to their evening concert at the National Shrine of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Bradley Chorale members filled Parker’s Choir Room, as ACE students took turns working with Dr. Boulton and trying their hand at the act of conducting. Later that evening, Parker’s student vocalists gave 150% at the concert and left with a sense of pride that carried them well into their Saturday morning performance at the Parker Fest Admission Open House.

These students are already preparing their winter holiday repertoire and plan to bring their holiday carols and Winter Choral Concert music to the Illinois State University Choir Festival in November. 

Anyone who would like to see these students live and enjoy what they have been working on should save the date for their early afternoon performance on Oak Street on Saturday, December 6.

Enjoy photos from the conducting workshop here and a video of the performance from the National Shrine of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini below.