College Street Singers
College Street Singer History
In 1974, Glenn Maze, Chairman of the Music Department at Snead State attended a summer conference that featured an ensemble named Re-generation directed by Derrick Johnson, who is now known for his work with Disney. He was very impressed by the group’s singing style and positive image. Upon returning to Boaz, he met with Rebecca Lancaster, a vocal instructor at the college, about the idea of organizing a similar group at the college. By the fall, ten singers and a sound technician had been enlisted, and the Freedom Singers were formed. The group took the name Freedom Singers in anticipation of the country’s bicentennial Celebration. During the first year of their existence, the Freedom Singers performed 50 times and set a precedence of excellence and pride.
In 1977, the group changed their format from patriotic music to sacred and variety entertainment. They also changed their name to the College Street Singers after the major street running through the Snead State campus. They continued to perform in schools, churches, and civic organizations and events and averaged 30-40 performances per year. In 1990 the group appeared at Carnegie Hall with the Manhattan Symphony Orchestra.
Concert Choir
The Snead State Concert Choir is the premier classical music ensemble on the Snead State campus. The choir performs in multiple foreign languages as well as English and covers a broad spectrum of genres, from Renaissance madrigals to musical theatre selections. The ensemble performs multiple times per semester, including in Music Department concerts, at outreach concerts in the community, for campus events, and in the annual ACDA Collegiate Choral Festival.
Students should plan to audition for this ensemble, but prior music reading ability is not required, as long as a singer comes willing to learn!
Full-tuition choral scholarships are available for singers wanting to participate in any of Snead’s choirs or instrumental ensembles. Interested students should contact Dr. Kathleen Ruhleder or Ms. Gina Garmon to schedule a choral audition.
Community Chorus
The Snead State Community Chorus is a non-auditioned group of singers made up of Snead students, faculty, staff, and persons from the Sand Mountain region who love to sing. The group presents a minimum of two concerts per year featuring renowned choral music by historic and living composers, including new compositions and arrangements by living composers. Membership in the chorus is open to all persons from ninth grade to age 90+ who can match pitch and blend with a group.
College credit is available for students who would like to sing in the Community Chorus as a credit course, but anyone can join by simply attending rehearsals regularly every Thursday evening during the Fall and Spring semesters. The group meets from 6:30-8:10 PM in Room 103 of the Maze Music Building.
Snead State students who are both music majors and non-majors are eligible to audition for a Choral Scholarship, which allows students to receive full tuition waivers for the academic year. With this scholarship, students can register for two of Snead State’s choral groups for credit tuition free for both the Fall and Spring semesters.
Voice Lessons
Private vocal instruction is available for music majors and non-majors. Students receive a weekly hour-long one-on-one voice lesson to help them improve their singing and musicianship skills. Voice scholarships are available to students who would like to take voice lessons and then practice their skills in one of Snead State’s choral ensembles. Students interested in all styles of singing are welcome to take voice lessons. Requirements do include performing songs in different genres, and one foreign-language selection is required each semester.
Students interested in taking voice lessons or auditioning for a voice scholarship should contact Dr. Kathleen Ruhleder to schedule an audition.
Need more information?
Dr. Kathleen Ruhleder
Director of Concert Choir and Community Chorus
kathleen.ruhleder@snead.edu
(480) 522-9277
Gina Garmon
Director of College Street Singers
regina.garmon@snead.edu
Request more information by completing the online interest form.