Choral activities

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Welcome to choral activitiesÌýat the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ College of Music!

Our choral activities strive to examine and honor the legacy of pastÌýfaculty, while moving forward with evolving pedagogiesÌýand programs, and the music of underrepresented composers.

The ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ choral activities area, founded in 1938 by Warner Imig, was the first formal area of study in the College of Music; in the 1960s, ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ became one of the first universities in the nation to offer a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting.ÌýThe department continues to mentor great students from across the university, while preparing and performing everything from new works to jazz to traditional masterworks through regular collaborations with the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ Wind Symphony, the CU Symphony and the Boulder Philharmonic.

Upcoming choral events

Our choirs

Our choirs

Students from many majors and interest areas sing inÌý¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ choirs—not only music majors! Join a choir ... and sing!

¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ Chamber Singers (SATB)—Coreen Duffy, conductorÌý
¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ University Choir (SATB)—Elizabeth Swanson, conductorÌýÌý
¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ Festival Chorus (SATB)—Coreen Duffy, faculty advisorÌý
¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ Treble Chorus (SSAA choir)—Elizabeth Swanson, conductor

Alumni

We’re proud of our choral studies alumni, including those who have gone on to teach at Fresno State University, Harding University, Metro State University, Oklahoma State University, Regis University, Samford University, San Jose State University, University of Kentucky and University of Missouri-Kansas City, among many other institutions; others have proceeded toÌýfound and/or direct organizations and schools such as Young Voices of Colorado and the Central Educational Center charter school.ÌýNotable choral studiesÌýalumni include Charlene Archibeque, Eph Ehly, Anna Hamre, Hugh Sanders, Z. Randall StroopeÌýand many more.ÌýCheck out ourÌýalumni class notesÌýfor more alumni accomplishmentsÌýand follow our ongoingÌý.

Coreen Duffy

Coreen Duffy

Coreen Duffy is associate professor of conducting and director of choral activities at the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ where she conducts the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ Chamber Singers and oversees the choral program. Her duties at the College of Music include leading the graduate program in choral conducting at both the master’s and doctoral levels. Duffy is also artistic director of the Seicento Baroque Ensemble, a Boulder-based semi-professional choral ensemble committed to working with period instruments and historically-informed performance practice.ÌýPrior to her appointment at ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ, Duffy served on the faculties of the University of Montana and the University of Miami Frost School of Music. As director of choral activities at the University of Montana, Duffy conducted the Chamber Chorale and University Choir and served as Artistic Director of the Missoula Community Chorus.ÌýMORE

Elizabeth Swanson Headshot

Elizabeth Swanson

Elizabeth Swanson is the associate director of choral activities and associate professor of music at the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ, where she conducts the University Choir and CU Treble Chorus. Under her direction, the University Choir was selected to perform at the 2025 National Collegiate Choral Organization National Conference at Cal State Fullerton and performed at the 2023 Colorado Music Educators Association Conference. A passionate educator, Swanson also teaches undergraduate conducting courses and serves on master's and doctoral committees. She oversaw the CU Choral Program as interim director for four semesters (2018–19; 2024), during which she supervised all aspects of the program. In 2024, she received a university-wide Provost’s Faculty Achievement Award, acknowledging her contributions to ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ through scholarly and creative work, teaching, leadership and service.ÌýMORE

Contact

Coreen Duffy
Director of Choral Activities
coreen.duffy@colorado.edu
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