After a successful Fall season of shows and Sunday rehearsals, the Singers are excitedly preparing for their Spring touring season!
Since production camp this past August, the Singers performed for an audience of 600 as a featured event for UW Madison's Family Weekend, filled the Dane County Farmers' Market with live music in October, entertained audiences during the 49th Annual On Campus shows at Union Theater/Shannon Hall, and rounded out their pre-Thanksgiving concert schedule in Wausau, WI, Isaac Buttke's hometown.
Missed On Campus this year? No worries! Check out the On Campus Highlights below and make sure to mark your calendars for the upcoming tour season!
This will be my last newsletter as I am off to study abroad next semester so for one last time,
On Wisconsin!
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This year's show received overwhelming applause at our Annual On Campus Shows on November 12 and 13! Although the shows run only 2 hours (with guest choirs to open each show) there is lots of hard work that goes into making our only "hometown" shows here on campus representative of the tradition of excellence the Singers has carried on for 49 seasons.
The Singers took over Shannon Hall at the Wisconsin Union starting on Wednesday night to load in all of equipment while our lighting designer spent the rest of the evening hanging, focusing and programming the show. After running a "cue to cue" on Thursday night, the Singers loaded the sound equipment and instruments into a trailer, grabbed their warm clothes and headed off to perform as a part of the Homecoming Parade on Friday night. After three hours of walking, singing, playing and spreading Badger spirit, the troupe loaded everything back into the theater in preparation for a full day of dress rehearsals and guest choir sound checks on Saturday. **If you were watching the football game Saturday afternoon, you may have seen the Singers float featured on ESPN during halftime of the game!
On Saturday night, the Singers welcomed Madison Police Chief, Mike Koval, to stage as our emcee. On Sunday afternoon, NBC 15's Weekend AM weather anchor, Amy Carlson, took a break from her usual broadcasting to emcee the show.
Both Mike and Amy did a fabulous job of emceeing the shows and getting the audience revved up to enjoy In Living Color! Guest choirs from Madison East, Kromrey Middle School (Middleton), Marshall and Brodhead were a perfect way for the audience to appreciate local talents before the Singers took stage. Lighting tech, Eann Potter (grandson of WS alumnus, Dave Heilman) took the show to a whole new level of professionalism with his creative lighting design.
The Singers loved seeing all of our families and friends - as well as alumni and many other familiar faces - over the course of the weekend - many thanks to those who were able to join us for the shows!
We are continuing to book shows for the spring semester and summer 2017 - your help is appreciated in always keeping us in mind for local service organization fundraisers, alumni events and convention entertainment. Call 608.263.9499 or email singers@wisconsinsingers.com if you can help us connect with a potential sponsor. WE STILL NEED TO BOOK 8 MORE SHOWS to make budget. And, don't miss our upcoming shows, available online at wisconsinsingers.com.
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UW-Madison ranked in top 25 for study abroad and international students
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The University of Wisconsin-Madison has been recognized as a top 25 university for campuses with the most students studying abroad and for the most international students on campus.
The rankings were presented in the 2016 Open Doors Report, which is released each year at the start of
International Education Week. The report is published by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
The university received numerous accolades for students abroad. UW-Madison is first among the nation's public universities for the number of students participating in semester-long study abroad programs. For 2014-2015, 1,082 students studied abroad on semester programs. Open Doors ranked UW-Madison seventh overall among all universities for students on year-long programs, with 101 students abroad during that same year.
"These rankings demonstrate the university's strength in offering semester- and year-long study abroad programs that fit with our students' academic plans," says Dan Gold, director of International Academic Programs (IAP). "We lead Big 10 Academic Alliance Institutions in student participation in both semester and year-long study abroad."
Read the full article here:
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Jan 13 - Hayward HS - 7 pm
Jan 14 - Hayward HS - 7 pm
Jan. 20 - Wauwatosa East - 7 pm
Jan 21 - Marathon HS - 7 pm
Jan 22 - Chippewa Falls HS - 7 pm
Jan 27 - Plymouth HS - 7 pm
Jan 28 - Beaver Dam HS - 7:30 pm
Feb 3 - New Lisbon HS - 7 pm
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Taking time to answer questions about collegiate life, majors and our internationally renowned UW campus
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Time out from classes to celebrate the semester at Novotny's annual Holiday Party |
Friends of Wisconsin Singers continues to be entirely responsible for the financial support of this invaluable program. Operational budget and scholarship dollars for our students are raised through concert sponsorships and individual donations that must total over $200,000 annually to "keep our song alive."
It is never too late to make a difference in the lives of these outstanding UW students with your donation to the Wisconsin Singers.
*Educating * Entertaining * Inspiring
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Introducing Georgi Edgington - Our New Executive Producer |
We are beyond excited to welcome Georgi Edgington to the Wisconsin Singers program as our new Executive Producer. Georgi is no stranger to our program, as she sponsored the Wisconsin Singers' performances in Hayward, Wisconsin for the past 19 years. When she heard about the open position, she applied for job - and the rest is history. After working with the Hayward Community School District for the last 25 years, Georgi was excited to accept her new position and help carry on the great legacy of the Wisconsin Singers program.
When asked what she likes most about being a teacher, Georgi said, "As an educator, I love sharing my passion for music with students so they can discover the positive influence music can have on their lives. The ability to share our love of music with others is the most rewarding experience. I consider my work to be fulfilled when my students can appreciate all styles and eras and not just that with which they are most familiar. Just imagine a world with no music...on television and radio, in movies, in concert...without music, we would be left with a void that nothing else could fill."
In addition to singing, Georgi is plays the violin, sting bass, clarinet, and piano. In her free time, she loves hiking, kayaking, fishing, and spending time with friends and family. Georgi also enjoys traveling to new places to experience different cultures, foods, and people. She is excited to explore a few new places next summer during her first ever cruise - around Scandinavia!
Georgi's role with the Singers is an entirely new position for our program. She is in charge of booking, touring, networking, show production, financial solvency and student staff mentorship. She will travel with the Singers, assist with on-site workshops, and grow the show with help from the student staff. Georgi is looking forward to visiting schools throughout the midwest and working directly with music teachers to educate, motivate, and inspire their own students to achieve excellence in performance with our outstanding Wisconsin Singers as perfect collegiate role models.
Welcome to the Wisconsin Singers, Georgi! We are thrilled to have you guiding and growing our program.
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Wisconsin Singers Spotlight:
Sophia Dramm
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Sophia, one of our PR Interns, is a sophomore studying Journalism and Mass Communication, with an emphasis in Strategic Communication. She originally joined Singers since the PR Intern position combined two of her favorite things - the arts and public relations.
She is originally from Manitowoc, WI, and someday hopes to work in the music industry doing public relations. Her dream city to work in is New York City! She says that one of the most important lessons she has learned through her internship with the Wisconsin Singers is, "To be kind and polite to everyone you contact." She emphasizes that maintaining good networks is important because you never know when you'll need to reach out to them again in your future.
Since coming to Madison, she has found a few favorite places to make it feel like home. You can find her hanging out at the Terrace, her favorite place on campus, or you can catch her eating breakfast at Short Stack Eatery, her favorite restaurant.
In addition to Wisconsin Singers, Sophia is part of the Student Employee Advisory Board for the Wisconsin Union, and Advertising Club.
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Wisconsin Singers ON THE ROAD...share the stage with local musicians...work in clinics to show students their real potential....take time in Q and A sessions to answer probing questions about what it's like to be in college.
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Singers share the stage with jazz ensembles, bands and orchestras, show choirs, jazz choirs, elementary/middle school choirs....
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Carter B. and the Singers teach clinic in Wausau |
Mannequin challenge.. WS style
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