Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Announces Teen Choral Partners

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra education department is proud to announce the Teen Choral Partners for the 2013.14 season:

Pius XI Concert Choir, Pius XI High School (Milwaukee), Bonnie Scholz, director

A Cappella Choir, Eisenhower High School (New Berlin), Natalie Baertschy, director

Camerata, East Troy High School (East Troy), Rodger Trader, director

Concert Chorale, Mukwonago High School (Mukwonago), Charlotte R.W. Kolby

The Teen Choral Partners will perform Fauré's Requiem with the MSO at a Teen Series concert on February 13, 2014.

Each season, Wisconsin high school choral ensembles compete for the chance to perform with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra for one of the teen programs in the Concerts for Schools series. Past programs have included performances of Vivaldi's Gloria, Handel's Messiah, and Schubert's Mass No. 2. Choirs submit a recording with appropriate repertoire in order to be selected. Ensembles then work closely with MSO Chorus Director Lee Erickson to prepare the piece before rehearsing with the MSO.

Known for his tireless pursuit of excellence, Lee Erickson was appointed associate director of the Chorus in 1978, and assumed the position of director in 1994. He has served on the Choral Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts, is a past Dean of the American Guild of Organists, and is Music Director at St. Anthony's Church in Milwaukee. In January 2008, Mr. Erickson was honored by the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music for his musical contribution to the greater Milwaukee community. In March 2008, he was named as one of the 2007 Artists of the Year by the City of Milwaukee Arts Board.

For more information about the Teen Choral Partners, contact Rachel Stuen, Education & ACE Manager, at edu@mso.org.

Ranked among the top orchestras in the country, the MSO is the largest cultural institution in Wisconsin. Since its inception in 1959, the orchestra has received critical acclaim for artistic excellence. The orchestra's 83 full-time professional musicians perform more than 130 concerts each season. A cornerstone organization in Milwaukee's arts community, the MSO provides enrichment and education activities for audiences of every age, economic status, and background.

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