Above: Dr. Bryson Mortensen leading the 2016 Young Singers Project in performance at Norfolk's Ohef Sholom Temple.
2019 YOUNG SINGERS PROJECT
IN CONCERT
SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, 2019 | 4PM
OHEF SHOLOM TEMPLE, NORFOLK
Dr. Bryson Mortensen, Director of Choirs at Virginia Wesleyan College, joins the Virginia Chorale as director of the Young Singers Project in its 20th year. The Young Singers Project is the Chorale's flagship educational outreach program: high school singers from across Hampton Roads audition in November 2018 and an elite ensemble is selected to work alongside professional singers from the Chorale throughout January 2019, culminating in a special concert event.
CONDUCTORS
The Virginia Chorale is pleased to have Dr. Bryson Mortensen as conductor for the 2019 Young Singers Project. Dr. Mortensen holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting & Voice from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, as well as a Master of Music in Choral Conducting and Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Brigham Young University (Provo, UT). He has conducted the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Chorus and the Festival Choir of Madison, WI, and has sung with the Bach Chamber Choir, the Baroque Artists of Urbana-Champaign, and the Deseret Chamber Singers. Dr. Mortensen currently serves as Director of Choirs at Virginia Wesleyan College, where he conducts the Virginia Wesleyan Chorale and Virginia Wesleyan Singers and teaches courses in choral music education and music history.
Known in the Hampton Roads community as a choral conductor and pianist, Charles Woodward has served as the Artistic Director of the Virginia Chorale since 2011. He is the Music Director of Ohef Sholom Temple, Norfolk and of Saint Paul's Episcopal Church, Norfolk, and formerly, the choral director at the Governor's School for the Arts. As a pianist, Mr. Woodward is a frequent collaborator in both vocal and instrumental chamber concerts, and has performed with the Virginia Arts Festival, Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Norfolk Chamber Consort and Art Song of Williamsburg, at The Phillips Collection (Washington, D.C.), Jordan Hall (Boston) and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and in Germany and Italy. He served as Principal Coach for the premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's RAPPAHANNOCK COUNTY and as Associate Conductor for the premiere of Kristin Kuster’s opera KEPT: A GHOST STORY, both for the Virginia Arts Festival. Mr. Woodward's performances have been heard on American Public Media's Performance Today. A graduate of Northwestern University, he has served on the adjunct music faculties of the College of William and Mary, Old Dominion University, and Christopher Newport University.
2019 YSP ROSTER
SOPRANOAdrianna Apperson, Senior, Great Bridge High School
Abigail Dear, Freshman, Salem High School Caitlyn Marley, Senior, Grassfield High School Serena Olsen, Junior, Grafton High School Mandy Porter, Senior, Maury High School Zoe Wroten-Morrissey, Junior, Grassfield High School Corbin Pinto, Mentor and Conductor |
ALTOMaggie Dewberry, Senior, Grassfield High School
Jordan Jones, Senior, Jamestown High School Jenna Lancaster, Senior, Maury High School Ajia Lindsey, Junior, Norview High School Emma Parker, Junior, Grassfield High School Kathryn Kelly, Mentor and Conductor |
TENORIsaac Criddle, Senior, Jamestown High School
Adrian Dunn, Junior, Warhill High School Haven Kahn, Junior, Grassfield High School John Mayorga, Senior, Grassfield High School Jack Mills, Senior, Great Bridge High School Cody Watson, Junior, Warhill High School Randall Ball, Mentor and Conductor |
BASSTyler Cottle, Junior, Jamestown High School
Mason Fields, Junior, Grassfield High School Joshua Higgins, Senior, Woodside High School Daniel Olenick, Junior, Grassfield High School Seth Smith, Junior, Norfolk Collegiate Max Holman, Mentor and Conductor Guest Student Conductor: Indigo Neal, Norfolk State University |