The Providence Singers has received a $50,000 grant from the National

Endowment for the Arts to present a regional choral festival in

Providence, March 2–4, 2007. Conductors and choral organizations from

three New England states and American composers living in the United

States and Europe will participate.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (April 27, 2006) — The Providence Singers has received

one of seven choral-arts grants awarded nationwide by the National

Endowment for the Arts. The $50,000 grant, announced today in

Washington and Providence, will support a three-day regional choral

festival in Providence next March.

“By awarding this very prestigious grant to the Providence Singers, the

NEA recognizes what we’ve known all along: this world class choral

group contributes immensely to the life of our arts and cultural

community,” said Mayor David N. Cicilline. “I’m thrilled that

Providence has been chosen to host this three-day event, providing us

with a unique opportunity to showcase our wonderful city to people from

all over the region.”

The choral component of NEA’s American Masterpieces supports regional

choral festivals, presenting American music of the highest quality to

communities across the nation. Conductors and choral organizations from

Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts, as well as American

composers living in the United States and Europe, will participate in

the festival, March 2–4, 2007.

“We are honored to be chosen to host the American Masterpieces Choral

Festival,” said Executive Director Allison McMillan. “This marks a

point of arrival for the Providence Singers, and will place Providence

as a center for excellence in choral performance and education.”

Activities planned for the festival include premières of three newly

commissioned works, concerts featuring several choruses, a

community-sing in collaboration with a Providence gospel choir, and

workshops on new music, choral conducting and other topics.

“This festival gives us a rare chance to celebrate the richness of

American choral music and offer a glimpse into the future of the art

form,” said Artistic Director Designate Andrew Clark. “We look forward

to bringing living legends of choral music – like composer Lukas Foss,

conductors Alice Parker, Robert Page, and Jameson Marvin, together with

emerging composers, conductors and New England’s finest ensembles – all

sharing this unique experience in Providence.”

Clark will begin his new position on July 1, when Julian Wachner steps

down after ten years as the Singers’ artistic director. “The Providence

Singers’ dramatic growth under Julian’s leadership has set the stage

for this new opportunity,” said McMillan. “With this Festival, the

Providence Singers continues to build on its commitment to providing

outstanding choral experiences for the Providence community.”

Concerts of the New England Choral Festival will be presented at VMA

Arts and Cultural Center, bringing participants and audiences to the

completed Avenue of the Arts complex and Renaissance Providence Masonic

Temple Hotel. The community-sing will take place at the Columbus

Theatre on Providence’s historic West Side; other festival locations

will be announced. For additional information, visit

Christine Hauck

Marketing Director, The Providence Singers