With the help of an anonymous donor, the Syracuse University Singers were able to travel overseas in 2015. They didn’t waste the opportunity. While abroad, the University Singers competed, and ultimately won, the Florilège Vocal de Tours choral competition in France.

Almost a year later, the University Singers are preparing to travel to Varna, Bulgaria, in May to compete against five other choirs in the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing, a competitive international choral competition.

University Singers is SU’s most select classical voice ensemble, and before France, its members had never participated in a singing competition. Nick Godzak, a senior music education major and member of the chorus, said there was a catch to the donation.

“We don’t know who it was, but they said that the only thing that this money can be used for is to take University Singers international,” Godzak said.

So the singers applied and were accepted to compete in the Florilège Vocal de Tours.

Before the competition, Godzak said the group toured historic locations and held concerts in Europe. Then, the University Singers faced about 12 other groups from all across Europe in Tours, France. SU’s choir won the competition, which meant they will move forward to the European Grand Prix this upcoming May.

Rachel Heyman, a senior music education major and a member of the chorus, remembered how excited the entire group was when they won.

Heyman added she was especially amazed at the fact that the University Singers were not just competing against other collegiate choirs, but rather professional choirs from around the world.

Last year’s Grand Prix competition took place in Tours, France, so the University Singers were able to watch it. This year, the singers will be performing in this same competition from a stage in Bulgaria.

Before heading to Bulgaria, the group plans to do something similar to what they did in France, going on tour and holding concerts in different churches and receptions, Heyman said. To help them out with any language barriers, she said the group will have a tour guide who speaks the language.

Senior music industry major Kailey Smith said she was proud to make the anonymous donor and the group’s conductor, John Warren, proud after the singers won the competition last year.

Godzak also said the chancellor is donating funds to support the University Singers’ trip, but they still need to collect more money to fully finance their expenses. They have reached out to SU alumni, specifically those who graduated from the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Additionally, members are individually contributing money towards their trip.

Smith noted that the singers show determination and perseverance as the trip draws closer. Even though they know they can compete, they are working even harder to come out on top.

“We’re pretty much just in competition mode and rehearsal,” Heyman said. “We’re all working really hard to make sure that we can do the best that we can and represent the university, the Setnor School of Music and America in general.”

Published on February 23, 2016 at 9:40 pm

Contact: moberger@syr.edu