ENCORE Illinois challenges students to explore relevant, real-world topics and careers in music so they can appreciate what full-time employment as a musician after graduation might look like. In doing so, the School of Music is preparing students to chart their own path in the musical world – producing graduates who will find new and innovative ways to serve the field of music and their communities.
“Lift Every Voice” tells the moving story of music-making for choral musicians amid the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and shows how Davis and the Black Chorus continued to inspire their community with creativity and spirit through weekly video diaries.
“Conductors like Professor Eddins, who have performed with musicians both within and outside the classical world and who have experience with a broad range of composers and styles, help to remind our students that music is a living thing that grows and develops, and that embracing that ideal is essential for professional musicians today. ”
The diversity of majors that existed among the 70+ VMGC members from 1974-1978 did not impede the bond that club members forged. They came together to create music and share in camaraderie as they still do today. Howard is hopeful that with his gift, the camaraderie and musical experiences that VMGC provides will continue well into the future.
