Reynolds College Blog

Ensemble Vocapella Limburg to visit Springfield and Missouri State campus Sept. 7-8

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The internationally known German choral ensemble, Ensemble Vocapella Limburg, will be in Springfield Sept. 7-8 as part of their larger U.S. tour. The tour is sponsored by the Goethe Insitut.

The choir will perform at Christ Episcopal Church Sept. 7 at 5:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. After the performance, audience members will have the opportunity to meet the singers, according to Dr. Erin Plisco, associate director of choral studies in the Department of Music.

Plisco coordinated Ensemble Vocapella Limburg’s visit to the Springfield area with the group’s director, Tristan Meister.

“The conductor of the group reached out to me last spring and initiated a conversation about bringing his choir to Springfield as part of their U.S. tour,” she said. “He and I know each other through an international choral exchange that took place a few years ago.”

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Women’s Chorus fundraising campaign in full swing through Nov. 30

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The Missouri State University Women’s Chorus recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for its first international concert tour.

The tour launches in May 2025 and covers five cities throughout Germany and the Czech Republic.

“This concert tour offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students to travel and share their music with international audiences and to engage with international choirs and conductors,” said Dr. Erin Plisco, associate director of choral studies and associate professor in the Department of Music.

The fundraising campaign runs through Nov. 30 and has set an initial goal of $25,000. Funds will be used to defray travel costs, Plisco said.

Currently, over 80 students participate in the chorus.

Hard work brings increased national recognition

Founded in 2014, MSU’s Women’s Chorus has achieved national prominence and has steadily increased its number of invited performances at state, regional and national conferences, Plisco noted.

Plisco assumed direction of the chorus in 2018.

“Our students are dedicated and hardworking,” she continued. “The group rehearses for 50 minutes, three times per week, and gives several performances on and off campus throughout the year.”

Women's chorus group relaxing during a rehearsal

As one example of the group’s dedication and growing prestige, Plisco cited their blind invitation to the 2023 American Choral Directors Association.

“Receiving an invitation to perform at the national ACDA conference is considered by many in the choral field as the height of achievement in choral ensemble performance in the United States,” Plisco explained. “It is a highly competitive and coveted honor that not many conductors and choirs experience in their lifetime.”

Audiences can view several of the ensemble’s performances through the MSU Choral Studies Youtube platform. The group plans to record and release six more videos this year, Plisco said.

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