About

Founded in 1939, the 45-member Samford University A Cappella Choir performs free concerts on campus throughout the fall and spring each year including the Choral Vespers series, which formally combines the university’s sacred spaces and Christian mission. Additionally they sing off-campus at local churches and conferences. This year they will be joining the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in April 2015 for Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana.

The group is internationally renowned on the competition stage, having competed in the Ave Verum competition in Baden, Austria and Florilége Vocal de Tours in Tours, France in 2012 and 2014, taking top honors including:

Florilége Vocal de Tours (Tours, France, 2014)
Second Place (tie), Mixed Choirs
Prix À Cœur Joir International (Awarded to a non-French speaking choir for excellent French diction)
Prix du chef de chœur (Awarded to Dr. Copeland for the quality of his conducting during the competition)

Ave Verum International Choral Competitions (Baden, Austria, 2014)
Third Prize
Best Interpretation of a piece written after 2000

Florilége Vocal de Tours (Tours, France, 2012)
First Prize, Renaissance Competition
Ronsard Prize, Renaissance Competition
First Place, Free Expression (All Choirs)
Third Place, Mixed Choirs

In October 2013, the group was one of 11 choirs that performed at the National Collegiate Chorus Organization Conference in Charleston, South Carolina.

 

The History of the A Cappella Choir

Samford’s A Cappella Choir was founded in 1939 as the Howard College Choir under the direction of Kathleen Martinson, an instructor at Howard College (now Samford University). In 1949, George W. Koski, a graduate of St. Olaf College and student of F. Melius Christiansen, took over direction of the choir. The St. Olaf tradition must have made a big impact on Koski because he wove many of the St. Olaf traditions into the fabric of the A Cappella Choir. Koski’s St. Olaf influence continues today, most prominently in the retired choir robes and the traditional concert-ending performance of “Beautiful Savior.”

Two conductors followed Gene Black, who directed the choir for 30 years: Milburn Price (1999-2006) and Timothy Banks (2006-2010). All four of the conductors have toured regionally and internationally with the choir. Dr. Price is the only conductor who has led the choir to a performance at a regional conference of the American Choral Directors Association–a performance that took place right before his retirement in 2006.

Dr. Philip Copeland is the current conductor of the A Cappella Choir, starting in his position in Fall of 2010. Choirs under his ­direction have distinguished themselves on the national and international stage, ­winning significant awards in four international competitions and performing in featured ­concerts of the American Choral Directors Association and the National Collegiate Choral ­Organization.