Wesleyan Honors Choir

The Nebraska Wesleyan University Honors Choir gathers 100 of the region's most promising high school singers for an inspiring and immersive choral experience with NWU's choir director, Tom Trenney, and guest composer/conductor, Shawn Kirchner.

Nominations

We encourage high school teachers to recommend as many singers as they desire through this choir students nomination form. Nebraska Wesleyan accepts nominations until December 1, 2025 and informs teachers and students of selections by December 18. Selected students are responsible for completing a registration form, including a $50 participation fee. Students are expected to prepare the music in advance of the festival. Opportunities to participate in vocal masterclasses (musical theater and classical), conducting classes, and scholarship auditions will be available as well.

Our Conductors

Shawn Kirchner is a composer, arranger, and songwriter based in Los Angeles whose choral works are performed throughout the world. His long creative relationship with the Los Angeles Master Chorale culminated in his tenure as the ensemble’s Composer in Residence from 2012-2015. Equally active as a performer, Kirchner has sung twenty seasons as a tenor with the Los Angeles Master Chorale and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in concerts featuring the world’s leading conductors, composers, and soloists. As a pianist, Kirchner appears throughout the country in performances of his music with collaborating choirs and is celebrated for his wide stylistic range, improvisation, and musicianship.

Tom Trenney is director of choirs at Nebraska Wesleyan University. NWU’s choirs had the honor of performing at state, regional and national conventions of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), and are award winners in the American Prize for choral ensembles. His 50 published choral compositions are sung at churches and schools across the country, and he was a feature performer at places like Kansas City's Kauffman Center, Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center and NYC's Carnegie Hall.

Schedule

Thursday, February 5

• 1 p.m. NWU Music Scholarship auditions (optional for seniors considering NWU)
• 3 p.m. Registration
• 4 p.m. Rehearsal
• 5 p.m. Pizza party (included)
• 6 p.m. Rehearsal
• 8:30 p.m. Adjourn

Friday, February 6

• 9 a.m. Rehearsal
• 10 a.m. Breakout sessions/ sectional rehearsal
• 11:15 a.m. Lunch (included)
• 12:15 p.m. Concert by NWU Choirs
• 1 p.m. Rehearsal
• 2:30 p.m. Snack break
• 2:45 p.m. Breakout sessions/sectional rehearsal
• 4 p.m. Rehearsal on stage
• 5 p.m. Dinner
• 6:15 p.m. Warm-up
• 7 p.m. Concert
• 7:50 p.m. Farewell

Repertoire

• To be announced