Concert Choir

  History of the Concert Choir

The Concert Choir, Gary R. Schwartzhoff, conductor, is one of six ensembles at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Due to the popularity of the choral program at UW-Eau Claire, the campus has been recognized as " Wisconsin 's Singing University." Concert Choir performed at the 1996 and 1998 American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Divisional Conventions and the 1997 ACDA National Convention. The Concert Choir sang at the Wisconsin Music Educators Convention in 1992, 1999, 2002 and 2005.

Throughout its history, the Concert Choir has worked with many outstanding orchestras including the Minnesota Orchestra, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, The San Diego Symphony Orchestra, as well as, the Philadelphia Brass. The Concert Choir performs major works in union with the UW-Eau Claire Symphony Choir and Symphonic Orchestra biannually. Previous works include Elijah by Felix Mendelssohn; Mass in C and Choral Fantasia by Ludwig van Beethoven; Carmina Burana by Carl Orff; Ein deutsches Requiem by Johannes Brahms and the Mass in B Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach.. The Concert Choir has collaborated with prominent composers and conductors including Jackson Berkey, Robert DeCormier, Eph Ehly, James Fritschel, Dale Grotenhuis, Moses Hogan, Gian Carlo Menotti, Weston Noble, John Rutter, James Mulholland and Z. Randall Stroope. 

The choir has traveled to Europe on eight concert tours between 1964 and 2008 including appearances at the 50Th Anniversary and the 60Th Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion in France. On the 2004 tour, the Concert Choir performed for 300 World War II veterans from the United States at Abbaye in Cerisy-la-Foret. In 2006, the Concert Choir was presented an international award for artistic excellence and cultural exchange from the Federation of Mediterranean in Naples, Italy.  In 2008, the Concert Choir will tour internationally to Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.

The Concert Choir has recorded four compact discs.
• Sing We Merrily released in 1997
• 2000 European Tour released in 2002
• WMEA Convention released in 2002
• An Amazing Day released in 2004

CD Order Form

D-Day Commemorative Performance

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Concert Choir, conducted by Dr. Gary Schwartzhoff, director of choral activities, toured Spain and France from May 26 to June 9, 2004.

Highlights of the choir’s performance schedule included a concert at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and a concert for 300 World War II veterans in Caen, France, the center of some of the fiercest fighting in the liberation of 1944 and home to Le Mémorial de Caen, an award-winning peace memorial and World War II museum. Both these concerts, as well as several others, are planned as part of the 2004 American Celebration of Music in France, which offers performance opportunities for American musicians and a way to renew long-standing Franco-American ties.

Four members of the Concert Choir participated in a special performance of Gabriel Fauré’s “Requiem” at Omaha Beach, a D-Day commemoration performed by an international choir of singers and musicians from all the World War II allied countries. The participating UW-Eau Claire musicians are soprano Amanda De Pons, New Berlin, alto Margaret Aspinwall, Madison, tenor David Fehr, Eau Claire, and bass Daniel Sinclair, Madison. The entire concert choir, comprised of more than 60 performers, has been invited to be in the audience for this memorable event.

Four members of the Concert Choir participated in a special performance of Gabriel Fauré’s “Requiem”
at Omaha Beach--soprano Amanda De Pons, alto Margaret Aspinwall, tenor David Fehr, and bass Daniel Sinclair.

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Gary Schwartzhoff and Concert Choir members Joshua Andrew, Nicole Peters
and Christina Burgess were greeted by a World War II veteran from Baraboo

Schwartzhoff has been active throughout his professional career in the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) where he served as President of the North Central Division from 1992-94. After previously serving at the state, divisional and national levels of the ACDA Repertoire and Standards Committee, Schwartzhoff was named the Male Chorus Chair for the state of Wisconsin for 2007-2008. In 2007 the Wisconsin Choral Directors Association (WCDA) named Schwartzhoff the Outstanding Church Musician in the state of Wisconsin. During his career, Schwartzhoff has presented choirs on twenty-two conventions before the state, divisional and national levels of ACDA and MENC. In 2008 he will present The Singing Statesmen at the MENC National Convention and at the ACDA North Central Divisional Convention, as well as, The Master Singers at the WCDA State Convention. In February 2009 Schwartzhoff will conduct the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Choral Festival in Washington, D.C.

Schwartzhoff is the artistic director and conductor for The Master Singers, a community chamber ensemble with membership from throughout the Greater Chippewa Valley. He serves as Director of Music at the First Congregational Church in Eau Claire, where he conducts the Chancel Choir. Schwartzhoff has served as guest conductor and adjudicator for numerous choral festivals throughout the United States and Canada. Gary is married to Nancy Schwartzhoff and they have two daughters, Jenifer Morgan (Jerry), and Rebecca Johnson (Andy), and grandson, Brady.