4th annual “The Big Sing” to be held by APSU Choral Activities Tuesday, April 11th

Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University choral activities celebrates the grand finale of the choral season with the biggest collection of vocal talent to date in the fourth annual “The Big Sing.”

On April 11th at 5:30pm, upwards of 170 singers from APSU, Mt. Juliet High School and Station Camp High School will join together at the George and Sharon Mabry Concert Hall on the University campus in a free performance of a wide range of vocal compositions.

Under the leadership of choral directors Sandra Elliott (Mt. Juliet) and David A. Collins (Station Camp), high school students will arrive on campus that morning and spend the day meeting with APSU students and rehearsing for the evening’s performance.

During the evening’s event, the students will join the APSU Chamber Singers and University Choir to create a choral union for a performance of three songs.

“This is going to be our first chance to participate in The Big Sing, and we’re all really excited,” Collins said. “Station Camp has sent a lot of students to Austin Peay in the past, and Dr. Foster has been a real great consultant for me over the years. We’re bringing about 70 of our students, and they couldn’t be more excited.”

The compositions performed by the choral union include “Insanae et Vanae Curae,” a song composed by Joseph Haydn, “Death Is Gonna Lay Its Cold Icy Hands on Me,” arranged by André Thomas and “Fèt Champèt” by composer, and former Acuff Chair, Sydney Guillaume.

In addition, Madison Street United Methodist Church Rev. Jared Wilson will join the choral union on organ during its performance of “Insanae et Vanae Curae,” while APSU professors Anne Glass (piano) and Dr. Jeffrey Williams (baritone solo) will feature on its performance of “Death Is Gonna Lay Its Cold Icy Hands on Me.”

“The songs performed during this year’s Big Sing cover a variety of languages and themes, from Haitian Creole and secular with ‘Fèt Champèt,’ to English and spiritual tradition with ‘Death’ to Latin sacred music for ‘Insanae,’ Dr. Korre Foster, director of choral activities at APSU, said.

New this year is a special performance by APSU’s Home School Children’s Choir. Comprised of students ages 8-13 and led by APSU students Susannah White and Briana Owen, the students will perform three songs before the choral union takes the stage.

For more information on the “The Big Sing” at APSU, contact Foster at fosterk@apsu.edu.