On Thursday, April 19 the Seton Hill University (SHU) Choir had the esteemed privilege of performing in Hershey, Pa., at the annual Pennsylvania Music Educator’s Association (PMEA) state conference.
In order to be considered for a performance spot at the conference, last spring many interested instrumental and choral directors from all over the state sent in blind audition tapes of over 200 ensembles to PMEA. They were notified of their selection in PMEA this past September. Thirty groups were selected out of all the applicants.
�Seton Hill’s choir was the only collegiate SATB (soprano-alto-tenor-bass) choir selected,� said Marvin Huls, the director of the University Choir.
�The only other collegiate choral group selected was the Penn State Men’s Glee Club,� said Huls.

By Daniella Choynowski,
Staff Writer
On Thursday, April 19 the Seton Hill University (SHU) Choir had the esteemed privilege of performing in Hershey, Pa., at the annual Pennsylvania Music Educator’s Association (PMEA) state conference.
In order to be considered for a performance spot at the conference, last spring many interested instrumental and choral directors from all over the state sent in blind audition tapes of over 200 ensembles to PMEA. They were notified of their selection in PMEA this past September. Thirty groups were selected out of all the applicants.
�Seton Hill’s choir was the only collegiate SATB (soprano-alto-tenor-bass) choir selected,� said Marvin Huls, the director of the University Choir.
�The only other collegiate choral group selected was the Penn State Men’s Glee Club,� said Huls.
Two days before, on April 17, the University Choir held a special preview concert for family, friends, and students in St. Joseph’s Chapel along with Women’s Chorale.
Freshmen Rose Kovach and Candice Shaughnessy, and sophomore Jessica Florian, sang solo songs in addition to the two regular ensembles.
The next evening, the choir gave another preview performance at the Mt. Zion Lutheran church in East Petersburg, Pa.
SHU’s University Choir had an outstanding reception from all the other attendees at the PMEA conference. Fellow choral directors called it �terrific� and �the best choir of the conference,� according to choir members.
�We kicked butt!� said Shaughnessy.
The fabulous reception of University Choir at PMEA can only foreshadow great things to come for the music program at SHU.
�People are going to know about us now…It’s really going to boost the program,� said Kovach, a vocal performance major.
With the new Performing Arts Center predicted to open in the fall of 2009, there really is a need for the music program at the University to grow a bit. The PMEA performance may increase people’s knowledge about SHU, or so some choir members believe.
�It won’tbe any more of, �What’s that school?� or �Where are you going? Seton Hall?� It will be �I go to Seton Hill, I am a voice major, and it’s sweet,�� said Kovach.
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