Members of the Kent State University Women’s Chorus pour their hearts, time and love for music into their work, and it has led to tremendous growth of the organization with nearly 70 members this year.
“We are a diverse group of individuals consisting of music majors and non-music majors alike,” says Deborah Devore, Ph.D., director of the Kent State Women’s Chorus and assistant professor of music education. “All are welcome. Students from at least 25 academic disciplines on campus are represented in our chorus. We sing and perform a diverse selection of quality music and strive for musical excellence on a daily basis.”
When Dr. Devore came to Kent State three years ago, the group had about 28 members. Within those three years, the Kent State Women’s Chorus just about doubled with the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in the group.
Madelyn Braun, a sophomore integrated language arts education major, has been singing with the chorus since fall 2017. Ms. Braun started off as a choral music education major, which is how she originally got involved with the group.
“Women’s Chorus is one of the best ensembles I have ever been a part of,” Ms. Braun says. “It made such an impact on me that I continued to stay involved in it even after I changed my major.”
The Kent State Women’s Chorus allows its members to unite and grow as a group, which could be why the chorus has grown so rapidly over the last few years. Natalie Prough, a freshman music education major, is someone who has found a second home within the chorus.
“I love the fact that everyone really puts their heart into this group,” Ms. Prough says. “I’ve only been in this choir for a couple months now, but I really feel like I’ve developed real, long-lasting relationships with the girls in this choir. I love that everyone not only puts their full hearts into the people of this group but also into the music that we perform.”
The reason for the rapid growth of the Kent State Women’s Chorus is clear to Dr. Devore.
“The question is, ‘Why would people not want to sing in our group?’” Dr. Devore says. “We celebrate our many differences while we seek unity in our performances. We believe that our individual differences make the group stronger as we seek to further our music performance skills. We are a caring community and provide a safe learning environment for all students.”
For more information about the Kent State Women’s Choir, visit www.kent.edu/music/womens-chorus.