The Dubuque Chorale is a community choral organization of singers from Dubuque and outlying communities. Singers of all ages from high school on are welcome to participate in this nonprofit group, which is dedicated to improving the musical skills of its singers and to providing quality musical entertainment for its audiences.
Dennis Williams founded the group in 1971. The chorale’s initial purpose was to study and perform the great choral masterworks with orchestra; the first season featured Handel’s Messiah and Haydn’s Creation. Since then the group has performed over 60 major choral works, and its mission has evolved to include all great choral music. The Chorale’s over five decades of performances, with over 1,100 singer alumni reaching more than 40,000 audience members, attests to the accomplishment of this mission.
In 1986 the Chorale began collaborating with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra with the performance of that year’s Holiday Concerts. The relationship continues today, with the Chorale typically joining the DSO for Holiday Pops and another featured work during the season as part of the symphony’s subscription series. The Chorale also presents its own concerts in the fall and spring, and additional engagements as requested.
In 1994 the Dubuque Chorale embarked on its first international tour to England and Wales. Since then members of the organization have visited and performed in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Italy (singing for a mass at the Vatican), Switzerland, New Zealand, and Australia (singing with renowned conductor Eric Whitacre at the Sydney Opera House). In recent years they joined choirs from the Wisconsin communities of Platteville, Mt. Horeb, and Fond du Lac to tour New York City, the British Isles, and Quebec.
Upon Dennis Williams’ retirement in 2006, Francis John Vogt served as artistic director until 2009, followed by Dr. Bob Demaree until 2018. The Chorale’s current artistic director, Dr. Amanda Huntleigh began her tenure in the fall of 2018. During these years the Chorale has grown to include singers with a diverse array of occupations, ages, and socio-economic statuses. Since its founding, the Chorale’s repertoire and artistic programming has also expanded to include new collaborations and community educational opportunities.
The beginning of the of 2014/15 season saw the launch of the first Dubuque Chorale Children’s Choir, a group of approximately 50 singers in grades 3–6. Today there are two groups: the Legati Singers, an intermediate choir conducted by Karmella Sellers, and the Staccati Singers, a preparatory choir conducted by Victoria Bausman.
The purpose of the Children’s Choirs is to provide a creative outlet outside of the regular school day for children of Dubuque and surrounding areas. Our intention is to expose students to new music and performance opportunities they may not have in school, and give them the opportunity to interact and form relationships with other children and adults from their community who are dedicated to choral excellence.
The goals of the groups:
Students must be enrolled in grade 3–6 for the academic year during which they participate. Participation of students is encouraged throughout the tri-state area from both public and parochial schools, particularly Dubuque, East Dubuque, Sinsinawa, Bellevue, Peosta, Dyersville, and beyond. Student participation in the local music program at each respective school is also strongly encouraged.
Interviews for the groups for the 2024/25 season were held earlier in May. If you missed this opportunity, contact (text or call) Mary Beth Ferring at (563)-580-6229 or email education@dubuquechorale.org to set up a voice placement interview. Fill out this form and bring it with you.
Rehearsals are Monday evenings from 5:15‐6:30 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.
In the fall of 2012, the Dubuque Chorale added a chamber choir called Dubuque Chorale Cadenza. This mixed-voice group of 16-24 singers is designed to give the Chorale greater flexibility in booking performance engagements, increasing the Chorale’s exposure as a community arts leader and advocate. The group makes presentations at community service organizations and other community events. It also performs pieces at regular Chorale concerts.
Musically, a “cadenza” is a small section of a solo concerto during which the soloist plays in a particularly virtuosic (and often improvised) manner. The cadenza most often occurs just before the final statement of the main theme of the movement and is considered a tour de force. By analogy, Dubuque Chorale Cadenza is a small group within the full Chorale, offering a choral flourish to the larger performance!
Cadenza members are required to audition. For more information, contact the director. Participating in Cadenza for a given semester also requires participation in that semester’s program for the full Chorale.
Part of Cadenza’s mission is to promote community awareness of vocal music and the Dubuque Chorale. If you are interested in having the group perform for your organization, please contact the Cadenza organizer, Mike Jozefowicz.
Our ensembles.
Dr. Amanda Huntleigh is Artistic Director of the Dubuque Chorale,
and serves as Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities
at Clarke University.
Huntleigh holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting from the University of Washington, a Master of Music degree in conducting from George Mason University, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Wartburg College. In January 2016 she earned her certification as a Laban/ Bartenieff Movement Analyst through Integrated Movement Studies. She is thankful for her conducting mentors, Drs. Lisa A. Billingham, Geoffrey Boers, and Giselle Wyers, as well as her movement mentors, Colleen Wahl and the late Cadence Whittier. Huntleigh has conducted choirs touring in Chile, Iceland, Italy, and Estonia, and taught choral, instrumental, and general music in Illinois, Virginia, and Delaware public schools earlier in her career.
As Program Director of the Children’s Choirs and
conductor of the Legati Singers, and with over 35 years of experience as a music educator,
Karmella Sellers firmly believes that music not only enriches lives, but also teaches discipline,
teamwork and responsibility. As a Music Specialist in the Dubuque Community
School District since 2005, she has served the community through
teaching elementary children about the wonders of music and choral singing.
Mrs. Sellers is originally from Los Angeles. She received her Bachelor of Music Education from Grand Canyon University (Phoenix, Arizona) and her Masters in Elementary Education from Northern Arizona University. In 2009, Mrs. Sellers achieved National Board Certification.
When she is not sharing in music making with children, Mrs. Sellers likes to read, to travel with her husband, Rory, and to spend time with her grown children and not-so-grown grandchildren.
Outside her role as conductor the Children’s Choir
Staccati Singers,
Victoria Bausman teaches K-5 General Music at Bellevue Elementary School. She also enjoys
enjoys singing as a member of the Dubuque Chorale and Cadenza.
Mrs. Bausman earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education, as well as a Vocal Performance Certificate, at Elmhurst University in Elmhurst, Illinois. During her studies, Victoria had multiple opportunities to travel to other countries, such as Jamaica, Austria, and Czech Republic, to widen her horizons and further her experience in music and Dubuque Chorale Artistic Staff teaching. Prior to teaching in Bellevue, Victoria was the general music teacher and choral director at Galena Middle School and Galena High School.
Than Chesher is the Associate Director for the Dubuque
Chorale. Chesher also directs
the choirs of Dubuque Senior High School and teaches a
Modern Band class introducing students to contemporary instruments and
recording techniques. He has directed choirs in Iowa and Minnesota where
students earned honors in conference, state and national honor choirs.
Chesher came to Dubuque with 28 years of professional musical experience performing for amusement parks, cruise ships, and onstage as a vocalist and bassist. His academic research includes individual well-being through music, student musician identity, and popular music in schools. Chesher received his Master of Arts in Music Education from the University of Iowa and his Bachelor of Music Education from Morningside College.
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