choral studies Archives - Reynolds College Blog

Missouri State alumni and faculty reimagine the future at international choral event

October 26, 2026 by Reynolds College

Three alumni of Missouri State University’s Chorale attended the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM) World Symposium on Choral Music Aug. 23-28 in Macau, China.

Tanner Munson, Tim Pallett and Anne Copiaco reunited with their mentor, Dr. Cameron LaBarr, at the “reimagining the future” themed event.

LaBarr is director of choral studies and Clif and Gail Smart Professor of Music at Missouri State. He currently serves as an ICFM board member and was also on the artistic committee for the 2026 symposium.

“It’s wonderful to see Missouri State University alumni involved in the international choral community at such a high level,” LaBarr said. “A huge part of the mission of our program is to bridge cultures across the world through choral music. This is a great example of that being put into practice.”

Munson presents on vocal pedagogy

Man giving a presentation — Tanner Munson discusses vocalization during his presentation at the IFCM World Symposium.

Munson graduated in 2024 with a master’s in vocal pedagogy. He displayed his expertise in his presentation, “The Collective Voice: Building Your Ensemble through the Vocalise.”

“Having the opportunity to present at IFCM’s international conference is an incredible opportunity,” he noted. “Being able to network with like-minded musicians across the globe is invaluable.”

In his presentation Munson, who now teaches at Missouri State, discussed what separates vocalise from other sounds. He reviewed how vocal instructors can target specific skills in repertoire and rehearsal work while empowering singers to communicate their music properly.

Specifically, Munson credits his Missouri State instructors for his success and growth. In addition to LaBarr, Associate Director of Choral Studies Dr. Erin Plisco and voice professor Dr. Chris Thompson were “essential” in helping him prepare.

“There’s no way that I could’ve done this without their guidance and without their help,” he said.

The entire symposium experience was “affirming,” Munson added. “It really helped me feel like I’m on the right path. I’m doing the right thing, I’m doing what needs to be done and I’ve got the best people possible surrounding me and helping me do it.”

Missouri State Chorale launches new album

October 16, 2026 by Reynolds College

The Missouri State University Chorale has released a new album, “The Cardinal and the Roller,” a collaboration with the University of Pretoria Camerata from South Africa.

It is now available on multiple streaming services, including Spotify. Apple Music has also included one of the tracks on its curated playlist, “The Classical Voice.”

Featuring eight South African tracks and eight American tracks, the album is the final product of a long-held dream for Dr. Cameron LaBarr and Camerata conductor Michael Barrett. It marks the fourth time the Chorale has worked with Grammy Award-winning producer Dirk Sobotka and the team at SoundMirror, LaBarr said.

Throughout their long friendship, the two often imagined how beautiful an album featuring both of their choirs would be.

When the Camerata received an invitation to perform in the United States as the headline choir at the National American Directors Association Conference, LaBarr and Barrett saw their chance. The door for the Chorale and Camerata to take flight together had opened.

Check out more Chorale music

Title song symbolic of partnership

The title song, “The Cardinal and the Roller,” symbolizes the union between the Chorale and the Camerata ensembles. In the piece, a lilac-breasted roller, a South African bird, and a cardinal, an American bird, take flight together. Composer Susan LaBarr wrote the music, and lyricist Charles Anthony Silvestri wrote the words.

“’The Cardinal and the Roller’ album was the project of a lifetime,” said LaBarr, director of choral studies and Clif and Gail Smart Professor of Music. “Combining the Chorale and Camerata for this work created one of the most beautiful musical experiences of my career. This album will forever serve as a reminder that the gift of singing can unite us all.”

Women’s Chorus selected as performing choir for 2027 National ACDA Conference

August 19, 2026 by Lynn Lansdown

Missouri State University’s Women’s Chorus has been invited for a second consecutive time to perform at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) national conference.

The ensemble will perform two featured concerts at the conference, scheduled for March 7-10, 2027, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They will also participate in collaborative concerts and exchanges with collegiate and community ensembles from across the Twin Cities.

The Women’s Chorus was one of only 16 choirs nationally to receive an invitation this year, said women’s chorus director, Dr. Erin Plisco. Every two years, hundreds of collegiate, professional, school, community and church choirs submit recordings for consideration, but only a small number are selected, she explained. From there, the selected ensembles will perform for thousands of music professionals and educators from across the country.

The invitation is the highest honor a choir can achieve in the United States, Plisco added.

Yet the invitation also marks a historic milestone for Missouri State. The Women’s Chorus wasn’t just invited to perform at the ACDA for a second time. This is the first time in university history that one of its choral ensembles received two consecutive national invitations as a performing choir, Plisco said.

Over the past few years, the Women’s Chorus has earned an extraordinary reputation, she said. Since 2022, the ensemble received performance invitations for six state, regional and national conferences. In addition, the group completed its first international concert tour through Germany and the Czech Republic in 2025.

“[The invitation] represents recognition from colleagues we deeply respect,” Plisco said. “But what makes me most proud isn’t simply that our students sing at a high level. It’s that they have built a community where every singer feels valued, challenged and empowered to become the best version of themselves.”

Missouri State Chorale members describe tour to Australia and New Zealand

July 15, 2026 by Lynn Lansdown

The Missouri State Chorale once again proudly represented the university on an international stage when they traveled to Australia and New Zealand May 9-26, 2026. During their stay, the Chorale visited six cities and performed in seven concerts.

“This tour marks the sixth continent visited by the Chorale in the past decade,” said Dr. Cameron LaBarr, director of choral studies and Clif and Gail Smart Professor. “Tours like this one allow us to engage with the university’s public affairs mission every day—changing the lives of our students forever and putting the goodwill of Missouri State out into the world.”

Whirlwind tour from Sydney to Auckland

Upon first arriving in Australia, the group spent three days in Sydney. While there, they took a guided tour of the Sydney Opera House, visited the Featherdale Wildlife Park and performed their first concert at Verbrugghen Hall.

Chorale members spent the remainder of the trip visiting various parts of New Zealand. After a brief stay in Queenstown, they traveled to Christchurch, where they performed with the Christchurch Youth Choir. Next, in Wellington, they performed at the Cathedral of St. Paul. From there, the Chorale traveled to Murupara and performed at the local school.

By May 23, they were off to Auckland to finish the final leg of their tour. First, they performed with the Auckland Youth Choir. Then they gave their seventh and final concert in Auckland’s St. Matthew-in-the-City church. After one more day of sightseeing and farewells, the group headed home May 26.

LaBarr described the entire experience as thrilling. In addition to a two-day immersion in Maori culture, the group enjoyed “incredible outdoor experiences.” These included the Australian Blue Mountains and Milford Sound, as well as a breathtaking view of New Zealand’s Mt. Cook.

More importantly, the students connected with the Australian and New Zealand peoples and their cultures on an intimate level simply by sharing music, LaBarr noted. The Chorale collaborated with a local choir at each location, “[singing] music together from each others’ culture, something we will never forget.”

Members of a choir performing on stage — The Missouri State University Chorale performs in Auckland, New Zealand. Photo credit: Haydn Nicholson.

LaBarr family takes the stage at Carnegie Hall

June 24, 2026 by Lynn Lansdown

Missouri State University’s Dr. Cameron LaBarr, director of choral studies and Clif and Gail Smart Professor, was invited by the National Concerts organization to conduct a performance at Carnegie Hall April 11, 2026. He collaborated with Dr. Michael Barrett, former director of choral activities at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, to conduct the National Concert Chorus.

Cameron LaBarr conducted several pieces composed by his wife and Missouri State alumna, Susan LaBarr. She currently serves as a National Concert composer-in-residence. Those selections were “Where the Light Begins,” “Grace Before Sleep” and “The Cardinal and the Roller.”

The program also featured Parker Payne, artist-in-residence and collaborative pianist in Missouri State’s Department of Music. He accompanied the performers on piano.

Additionally, 10 Missouri State students sang in the concert, They were Kaden Chapman, Eto Tagur, Gio Hernandez, Anne Copiaco, Destiny Romero, Ashlee Martin, Katie Penkalski, Jonah Hagerty, Cole Dobbs and Nolan Scotidis. Several Missouri State alumni, faculty and staff also attended the performance to show their support.

This was Cameron LaBarr’s first official project with National Concerts. He and Barrett will appear again at Carnegie Hall in April 2027. The program will be similar in format to the 2026 performance. Susan LaBarr will once again serve as composer-in-residence.