UNLV Desert Rose Festival
About the Festival and Participation
This is a great opportunity to nominate students who can't get enough music in their lives; students who might not have been accepted into an honor ensemble but whose work, effort, and passion are worthy of recognition; and students who are considering or planning on attending UNLV in the near future.
Eligibility
Membership is based on the recommendations of the student's director and the needs of the festival choir. There is no audition or prerequisite required except the criteria below.
- Singers from schools in Nevada or neighboring states
- Sophomores, juniors, or seniors nominated by their school directors
Teachers may nominate up to 12 students per school and we suggest nominating between 4-12 students. If possible, please consider nominating students as SATB quartets or an even number of treble and bass voices. Also, please do your best to nominate an even number of sopranos and altos. Soprano singers who wish to learn or sing the alto part are welcome to be nominated in the alto category.
Teachers will be notified about their accepted students no later than Wednesday, Dec. 1.
Cost
The festival costs $15 per student. This fee pays for the student's music, water, snacks, and activity supplies. You do not need to submit payment until you've been notified which students have been accepted.
We will have breakfast, snacks, and water available for students throughout the day. If you would prefer to eat lunch at UNLV Student Union or at a nearby restaurant, please plan to bring additional funds.
Repertoire
UNLV will email all accepted students a digital copy of their music at the email address provided in their nomination form submission. If you would prefer that the scores be sent to you for printing and distribution to your students, please list your email in the contact information for each student you submit. We can supply printed versions of the music for students upon their arrival on the morning of the festival.
Some schools may already have one or more of the selections in their libraries. Teachers are welcome to provide copies to their participating students for advanced study and/or preparation.
Attire
Concert attire is the following:
- Men: School choir uniform OR collared shirt with nice dress pants. Ties are encouraged.
- Women: School choir uniform OR a nice blouse with dress pants/skirt or a dress.
Nominations
Nominations must be submitted through the online form by Nov. 5.
Payment is due by Friday, Apr. 1. Checks and purchase orders should be made out to "Friends of UNLV Choral Music" and may be sent to:
UNLV School of Music
C/O Division of Choral Studies
Box 455025
4505 S. Maryland Pkwy
Las Vegas, NV 89154-5025
Concert Schedule and Venue Information
Concert Schedule
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The concert is free for parents of participating students and their teachers/chaperones. General public tickets are $10 and may be purchased through the UNLV Performing Arts Center. Students with a valid CCSD or UNLV ID card may present their ID at the door for free admittance.
Venue and Parking
All concerts are held at the Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall on UNLV's main campus.
- You may park either in the parking ramp near Ham hall (it costs $8 for the day), or you can park for free on the street, University Avenue, on the eastern side of Maryland Parkway, near University United Methodist Church.
- Parking can get tricky around UNLV, so it is best if local students arrange to either be dropped off or carpool.
- Bus parking is available along the drive-in and drive-out of the Ham Hall roundabout, south of Cottage Grove Avenue.
Where to Stay
- There are several affordable hotels close to UNLV's campus. Other teachers have had success with Airbnb.
- The college is not able to offer housing to teachers and/or chaperones.
Questions?
Please contact us at choir@unlv.edu if you have any questions that were not answered here.
About the School of Music
The UNLV School of Music is a constantly growing institution of over 500 music majors, with 45 full-time faculty teaching students in pursuit of undergraduate and graduate degrees in classical performance, music education, jazz studies, commercial music, music technology, composition, musicology, and ethnomusicology. Students who graduate from UNLV enjoy successful careers in music education, the music industry, and professional performance. UNLV's Las Vegas location allows students to gain unique professional experience and exposure during their undergraduate study through private-public partnerships with professional musicians and their parent organizations.
The Division of Choral Studies features five choral ensembles performing a variety of repertoire, from ancient to contemporary.
You can learn more about UNLV's choral ensembles by visiting their page. If you are interested in learning more about ensemble auditions please fill our information form to be contacted by our School of Music admissions staff. They are happy to arrange an on-campus visit and send you more information.