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Upcoming Events
March 25 I State Choral Festivals Registration Deadline
April 1 I Outstanding Choir Performance Applications Due
April 1 I State Choral Festivals Late Registration Closes
April 11 I State S&E Festival UP
April 11-12 I State S&E Festival East
April 11-12 I State S&E Festival South
April 15 I A Cappella Festival Registration Deadline
April 25-26 I State S&E Festival Central
April 25-26 I State S&E Festival West
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Applications must be submitted by Tuesday, April 1, 2025.
Up to two choirs will be chosen by blind audition to perform at the All-State Festival Gala Concert at 7PM on Thursday, May 8, 2025.
Please review the eligibility guidelines before completing this application.
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Registrations must be submitted by Friday, May 2, 2025.
Please review the eligibility guidelines before registering.
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Dr. Marques L.A. Garrett
Associate Professor of Choral Studies
University of North Texas
A Virginia native, Marques L. A. Garrett (he/him) is Associate Professor of Choral Studies at the University of North Texas. His responsibilities include conducting the University Singers and teaching graduate and undergraduate choral conducting. His previous appointments were at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Cheyney University. Additionally, he holds a PhD in Music Education (Choral Conducting) from Florida State University, an MM from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a BA from Hampton University.
An active conductor, Dr. Garrett is the founding conductor of the Nebraska Festival Singers and previously served as artistic director of the Omaha Symphonic Chorus. He serves as a guest conductor or clinician with school, church, and community choirs throughout the country in addition to festival and honor choirs in Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia. His most recent engagements were with the NAfME All-Northwest and Connecticut All-State Mixed Choirs. Aside from his conducting classes at UNT, he leads conducting workshops at other universities and conferences. His formal conducting studies were with Dr. André J. Thomas, Dr. Carole J. Ott, Dr. Carl G. Harris, Jr., and Mr. Royzell Dillard.
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Mr. Josh Young
Coordinator of Musical Theatre
Missouri State University
Prior to his Tony-nominated Broadway debut as Judas Iscariot in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Josh Young had the distinction of playing the role of Marius in Cameron Macintosh’s “Les Miserables” and in more subsequent productions than any other actor. Young also won the Theatre World Award for Best Debut Performance for his turn in Superstar. He went on to originate the role of John Newton on Broadway in the world premiere of “Amazing Grace.” Young won the Broadway World Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his turn as Che in the North American Tour of the Olivier Award-winning revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Evita,” directed by Michael Grandage. This was a reprisal of the role for Young, having been awarded the same distinction by Broadway World Toronto for Gary Griffin’s production of “Evita” at The Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Young was a company member of The Stratford Festival for two seasons, the rare American given the opportunity at this world-renowned institution. It was Stratford’s production of the Des McAnuff re-imagined “Jesus Christ Superstar” that brought Young back to the states. Young toured Europe and Asia as Tony for the 50th Anniversary of Leonard Bernstein's “West Side Story.” Also abroad, and most recently, he played Jerusalem as famed Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach in the biographical rock musical “Soul Doctor.”
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Make plans to join us for Summer Conference! We will be welcoming Dr. Emily Williams Burch as our headliner at The Lansing Center, July 23 - 24.
Please consider sharing your knowledge and experience by presenting a session at
Summer Conference. Some suggested topics are:
- Choral Literature/Reading Session
- Vocal/Choral Pedagogy
- Rehearsal Techniques
- Warm-ups
- Music Literacy/Sight Reading
- Choral Program Growth/Recruitment
- Diversity/Equity/Inclusion
If you have additional ideas for sessions related to vocal music instruction, please submit them.
To submit your session topic, please complete the Summer Conference 2025 Session
by May 2.
If you have questions or would like additional information about presenting at Summer Conference, please contact the State Office.
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MSVMA offers so many things to its membership; educational opportunities, specialized events, honors choirs, literature recommendations, program enrichment opportunities, networking...the list goes on and on!
None of this is possible without volunteers.
From our amazing District Managers, site hosts, festival coordinators, and members helping out in headquarters during festivals, we see volunteerism alive and well within our organization - but we need YOU to ensure our continued success!
There are many upcoming opportunities for you to help out as we wrap up this school year. Perhaps one of these events is close to you either in location or to your heart!
State S&E Festivals
- East Site, April 11-12 at Lake Orion High School
- South Site, April 11-12 at Jackson Northwest High School
- UP Site, April 11 at St. Paul Episcopal Church
- Central Site, April 25-26 at Traverse City Central High School
- West Site, April 25-26 at Allendale High School
State Choral Festivals
- East Site, April 28-30 at Oakland University
- South Site, April 30-May 2 at Leslie High School
- West Site, May 2, 5, 6 at Hope College - Jack Miller Center
- Central Site, May 5-6 at Saginaw Valley State University
A Capella Festival, May 7 at Ann Arbor Skyline High School
All-State Festival, May 8-10 at Fairchild Theatre - MSU
Choral Student Leadership Conference, June 18 at Earl V. Moore Music Building - U of M
Summer Conference, July 23-24 at The Lansing Center
Please use this form to sign up for any of these opportunities.
Thank you in advance for your willingness to serve. Our festival hosts, supervisors, and coordinators will surely appreciate all the help they can get! When people support each other, incredible things happen.
Submitted by Brian Leduc, Board of Directors, Member-At-Large
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It's Not Too Late!
Are you pursuing an advanced degree, wanting to learn more about a particular teaching method or wishing you had the funding to attend an upcoming workshop? Then you need to apply for the MSMVA Carolyn F. Leep Scholarship
This scholarship was established in 1988 in honor of Carolyn‘s service to the Michigan School Vocal Music Association. In her position as head of the Choral/Vocal Department of Malecki Music Inc., Carolyn worked tirelessly for 20 years to provide MSVMA members with the materials to better perform our jobs as music educators.
Traditionally, the scholarship has been awarded to an MSVMA member in January at the Michigan Music Conference. This year, it has come to our attention that many universities do not announce acceptance until December 1 for graduate studies. This date falls after our deadline. With this in mind, it has been decided to move the award to align with the academic calendar. We will accept applications until May 15 each year. The committee will decide on a recipient to be announced during the MSVMA Summer Conference. The award will need to be used during the following academic year. The application form and eligibility details can be found on the MSVMA website under the Resources, Grants and Scholarships tab.
For more information, visit msvma.org/CarolynLeepScholarship
Submitted by Gail Worden, Past President, Leep Scholarship Chair
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The Michigan School Vocal Music Association is proud to offer one, $10,000 scholarship to
an outstanding high school choral student who is pursuing a degree in choral music education.
The scholarship is paid in increments of $1,250 per semester for the duration of a 4-year
college degree.
To be eligible, the following requirements must be met or maintained:
- Applicant must graduate from a High School member school of MSVMA
- Applicant must attend one of the following collegiate music programs for choral music education:
Adrian College
Albion College
Alma College
Andrew's University
Aquinas College
Central Michigan University
Cornerstone University
Eastern Michigan University
Grand Valley State University
Hope College
Michigan State University
Northern Michigan University
Oakland University
Saginaw Valley State University
Spring Arbor University
University of Michigan
Wayne State University
Western Michigan University
- Scholarship recipients must maintain a 3.0 GPA and remain in good standing in their respective degree programs as a full-time student.
The application deadline is May 1, 2025, for the 2025-2026 academic school year. The recipient will be contacted by mid-May and will be announced at Summer Conference.
NOTE: Students must be accepted to a collegiate music program before applying.
| | Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp Choir Scholarship Representatives are scheduling appointments now through late May, and are ready to meet your students to share more about Blue Lake and a range of scholarships that are available to help with camp tuition. Contact the Scholarship Office at scholarships@bluelake.org or 800-221-3796 x202 to request a visit from a Representative in your area. | |
The MPulse Vocal Arts Institute is a one-week program that offers singers aged 14–18 a comprehensive introduction to studying vocal music at the collegiate level. On the campus of University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance, students will engage in group and individual lessons, choral ensemble singing, and sessions on diction, vocal pedagogy, music theory, and conducting.
Faculty include:
Professor Eugene Rogers (Director of Choral Activities, Associate Professor of Choral Conducting)
Professor Stanford Olsen (Professor of Voice, Applied Voice & Oratorio)
Professor Caitlin Lynch (Assistant Professor of Voice, Applied Voice)
Audition & application requirements
Questions? Feel free to contact us at mpulse@umich.edu
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