The UNLV School of Music is proud to host a Division of Choral Studies for UNLV students of any and all majors, particularly those seeking undergraduate and graduate degrees in vocal performance, music education, and choral conducting. The Division of Choral Studies fields three choral ensembles (University Chorale, UNLV Singers, and Chamber Choir), sponsors two student-led vocal ensembles (Scarlet Tones a cappella and the Rebel Rhapsody show choir), and, through a partnership with the Las Vegas Master Singers, its students may participate in the city’s symphony chorus for college credit.
The UNLV choral ensembles sing a wide variety of musical styles and genres, encompassing sacred and secular repertoire, music of many non-western traditions, historical and contemporary compositions, and chamber and major works with orchestra. The ensembles have performed with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, the Mexico National Symphony, and under the baton of John Rutter at Carnegie Hall. The choirs have performed by invitation for conferences of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses.
The UNLV Division of Choral Studies sponsors an active student chapter of the American Choral Directors Association that supports choral music and special student projects on campus. The chapter has hosted the ACDA Western Division Student Symposium numerous times, sent students to participate in the ACDA national undergraduate conducting masterclass, and has been several times nominated for national ACDA student chapter of the year. It regularly sends a large group of students to attend regional and national ACDA conferences, and its alumni serve at all levels of ACDA leadership around the United States.
Contact Us
joseph.svendsen@unlv.edu
stephanie.council@unlv.edu
choir@unlv.edu
UNLV Choirs
Las Vegas Master Singers
UNLV Singers
The UNLV Singers is an auditioned ensemble of mostly music majors. Students in UNLV Singers focus on building and refining their individual vocal and ensemble skills using a diverse repertoire of choral literature. 95% of students in the ensemble receive private voice instruction from UNLV’s exceptional voice faculty. The ensemble collaborates with the Las Vegas Philharmonic and UNLV Symphony Orchestra every year to present a choral-orchestral masterwork. Recent works include Carmina Burana by Carl Orff and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. The ensemble undertakes a local/regional concert tour every year, visiting Las Vegas area high schools and performing in neighboring states. The choir undertakes an international tour every four years, traveling to Spain and Portugal in 2019 and the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany in 2023.
The 2023-2024 season includes four thematic programs of choral repertoire in October, December, February, and April, a multi-day concert tour of northern Nevada in the Spring semester, several local performances at area schools and concert venues, a performance with, serving as the host choir for the 37th annual Madrigal Festival Invitational and the Desert Rose Choral Festival, and a performance of Morten Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna with the Las Vegas Master Singers.
UNLV Singers rehearses Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 1:00-2:15 PM and may be taken for undergraduate or graduate credit (MUSE 408/508). Auditions are held the week before the first day of classes each semester and are open to all students of any major. The ensemble is led by Joe Svendsen, DMA.
University Chorale
University Chorale is a mixed-voice ensemble made up of students from all majors and years of study, undergraduate through doctoral. Designed to fit into busy schedules, University Chorale rehearses just two days a week and presents two concerts per semester. It serves as the host choir for the Division of Choral Studies’s annual ORIGINS concert, which celebrates the musical and cultural heritage of a specific country and/or identity, including works that advocate for societal awareness and social justice.
University Chorale rehearses Tuesday and Thursday from 11:30 AM to 12:50 PM. No audition is required to join the ensemble. Students may enroll in the course for credit (MUSE 107) or join through the UNLV Involvement Center, where the Chorale is a Registered Student Organization (RSO). The ensemble is led by Stephanie Council, DMA.
Chamber Choir
Chamber Choir is an advanced graduate ensemble of 12-20 singers that performs a wide variety of the finest a cappella repertoire, encompassing many periods and styles of music. The ensemble provides training in chamber and consort-style singing to prepare students for future employment in the genre. Chamber Choir performs several times throughout the academic year.
Graduate music students can join Chamber Choir by completing a voicing audition at the beginning of the semester. Advanced undergraduate singers with demonstrated reading and preparation abilities may be invited to join the ensemble The ensemble is led by Stephanie Council, DMA.
Las Vegas Master Singers
The Las Vegas Master Singers is the Las Vegas metropolitan area’s symphony chorus, serving as the chorus-in-residence for the Las Vegas Philharmonic and supplying the chorus for Opera Las Vegas’s annual mainstage productions. This chorus of experienced musicians comes from many walks of life. Most members have grown up singing; many hold music degrees and have worked professionally as music educators, organists, pianists, and performers. LVMS presents several concerts each year, both in cooperation and collaboration with Las Vegas area arts organizations and independently. Recent engagements include performances with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, Nevada Ballet Theater, Las Vegas Sinfonietta, the Henderson Symphony, Opera Las Vegas, and several area schools. The ensemble is a proud member of Chorus America.
Through a partnership with the UNLV Division of Choral Studies, UNLV students may sing in the Las Vegas Master Singers for academic credit, pending a successful audition. UNLV faculty and staff are welcome to join the ensemble at the beginning of each semester. For more information, please contact Rick Velotta, President.
Scarlet Tones
Scarlet Tones is UNLV’s first and flagship collegiate a cappella ensemble. This student-led and faculty-advised group performs diverse and exciting repertoire, often arranged and edited by the singers themselves. Scarlet Tones performs on campus at music and other events and around the community at a variety of functions. The ensemble is a registered student organization, and students of any major may seek membership to audition as a performer or serve as an arranger, technical assistant, or general supporter of the ensemble’s work. For more information about Scarlet Tones, visit the UNLV Student Involvement Center website.
Rebel Rhapsody
Rebel Rhapsody is a student-led and directed show choir, sponsored by the UNLV Division of Choral Studies. For more information, please visit the UNLV Student Involvement Center website.
Choral Festivals
Every year UNLV's School of Music hosts two festivals: the Desert Rose Choral Festival held every April and the Madrigal Festival held every November. Both are open to all high school students in Nevada and neighboring states but may require a nomination and selection process. Visit their corresponding pages to learn more.
UNLV Desert Rose Festival UNLV Madrigal Invitational Festival