The Lyon Colege Concert Chorale

Photo by Helen Shaw

 

The mission of the  Lyon College choir program is to promote good vocal skills inherent in lifelong choir members, advance the mission of the music program, increase the visibility of the college, and positively represent the campus community at important events in the life of the college.   The choir program fosters social, ethical, and spiritual growth by bringing together members of the campus community, working as a team toward a common goal of performance, and investigating the textual and performance issues of sacred and secular music from a variety of historical periods.  The choir program regularly promotes our Presbyterian heritage by performance in Presbyterian churches both in the United States and abroad.

All students are welcome to participate in the choir program. The only requirement is a love of singing and passing a brief audition.  We rehearse Tuesday nights, 6-8:30 PM.  While Lyon offers students the ability to major in music, it is not a requirement to be in the Concert Chorale.  Recent tours have taken the choir to Chicago, Des Moines, Kansas, Washington, D.C., Little Rock, Arizona, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, and San Francisco.  The choir is directed by Dr. Joel Plaag and accompanied by Ceil Smith.

 

In the News....

The Batesville Choral Society prepares for the Kirkin' Service

http://www.lyon.edu/news/articles/choralsociety.htm

 

Homecoming Weekend 2007

Dr. Gray, or "Landis," returned to direct the combined Lyon Concert Chorale, First Presbyterian Church, Alumni Choir, and Batesville Choral Society, in a performance of more than 80 singers on Sunday, October 21, 2007.

  

                                                                                                                                  

 

About the Accompanist and Director

Ceil Smith, in addition to maintaining a private studio of piano students and teaching piano at Lyon, teaches choir and music appreciation at Batesville High School and Batesville Junior High.  She is the choir director and organist at First Presbyterian Church of Batesville, and frequently accompanies the Batesville Community Theatre and Lyon Community Orchestra.  She holds a Bachelor of Music in music education and Master of Music from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.  Her piano teachers include Beatrice Pilapil, Carl Anthony,  Sam Driggers, and Jean Crouch.  Her organ teachers include Clark Kelley, and her conducting teacher was John Irwin.

Joel Plaag has conducted ensembles both in the United States and  Europe.  He was appointed instructor of music at Lyon College in 2003 and promoted to assistant professor in 2006.  Dr. Plaag has served as music director for the Brenham (TX) Chorale, as well as conducted, adjudicated, and presented at numerous workshops for teachers and students.  He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, TX, a Master of Music from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ,  a DMA in Conducting from the University of Houston and received additional training in orchestral conducting from the International Institute for Conductors in Bacâu, Romania.  His choirs have performed in Carnegie Hall, and have received other awards, like the "Governor's Distinguished Collegiate Chorale" in the state of Texas.  Dr. Plaag is listed in Who's Who in America (58th ed.) and Who's Who of Emerging Leaders (1st ed.) His major professors include Ruth Whitlock, Ronald Shirey, Joseph Flummerfelt, and Charles Hausmann.

Music Department Homepage         webmaster email: jplaag@lyon.edu      phone: (870) 698-4259