News

AnnouncementNews

20th Anniversary Dinner Concert

For the Love of Singing

Join us as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Choral Society of West Georgia with delicious food, drinks, and entertainment. Featuring the singers of the Choral Society and guest musicians, this event will be something you do not want to miss! Beverages and hors d’oeuvres will be served beginning at 5:45pm accompanied by guest instrumentalists, and the evening will conclude with a concert program of favorite choral works from programs over the years.

Tickets are $50 and are available online and from CSWG Singers.

 

AnnouncementNews

West Georgia Choral Arts Festival 2025

The annual Choral Arts Festival of West Georgia celebrates singers of all ages here in West Georgia. Held at Troup County High School’s auditorium, we are excited to present Troup County students in honor choruses for Elementary, Middle, and High School students as well as feature local collegiate and adult choral ensembles. Each choir will be featured in an honor chorus or individually, concluding with a festival choir of over 200 singers!

The Choral Arts Festival is free and open to the public.

Featuring: 
The Choral Society of West Georgia 
The Sons of Lafayette 
Local public and private school choruses and collegiate choirs

Troup County High School Auditorium 4:00 PM

AnnouncementNews

Seasons of Gratitude Concert

Seasons of Gratitude Concert Poster

Seasons of Gratitude: A Concert of Thanksgiving and Praise presents a collection of choral works by composers Randall Thompson, John Rutter, Dan Forrest, Ola Gjeilo, and others. The program highlights pieces that reflect themes of seasonal change, thankfulness, and reflection. Through a blend of contemporary and traditional selections, this concert invites the audience to experience moments of gratitude and joy. Tickets for this concert are available online, at MarketPlace at LaFayette Square, or from any singer.

There are two performances of this concert.

Reverend Andrew Gordon – Guest Narrator

Rector, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church LaGrange

Saturday November 23 – 7:00 p.m.

Sunday November 24 – 4:00 p.m.

First Presbyterian Church Sanctuary

Tickets: $20  Student/ID – $10

For TICKETS to this concert Click Here

 

 

AnnouncementNewsSeason 23/24

I Will Sing! Songs of Thanks and Praise

Announcing:

The Choral Society of West Georgia proudly presents their Autumn Concert

I Will Sing! Songs of Thanks and Praise

with 
Andrew Harry, Music Director
Elizabeth W. Biggs, Artistic Director
Ken Passmore, Piano
Rev. James Goodlet, Guest Narrator

 

Concert Details:

There will be two performances!
Concert times are
Saturday November 18 ~ 7:00 p.m.
and
Sunday November 19 ~ 4:00 p.m.

at First Presbyterian Church LaGrange, Georgia

 

Tickets:

Tickets become available on Wednesday November 1, 2023 in several ways

General Admission: $20 – Students: $10 with ID

To obtain tickets you may visit these businesses: Plum Southern and MarketPlace at LaFayette Square

Tickets are also available online: HERE

or from any member of the Choral Society of West Georgia.

We hope you will attend!

AnnouncementNews

Sing with Us! 2023/24 Season

The Choral Society of West Georgia with Music Director, Andrew Harry, invites you to Sing with Us!

Opening Rehearsal is September 7, 2023 from 6:30 PM until 8:30 PM at St. Marks Episcopal Church Parish Hall. (207 N. Greenwood Street, LaGrange, GA)
We are looking forward to a terrific year!

Here are the 2023 – 2024 season concert dates:
November 18 & 19
March 17
April 27 with the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra

News

Choral Arts Festival Set!

The West Georgia Choral Society announces their 2023 event will be held at First Baptist Church on the Square. A look at the official poster can be found below.

The Date is March 11, 2023. The Choral Festival will take place at First Baptist Church on the Square in LaGrange, GA. The public is invited at 4:00 PM to hear the Festival’s culmination concert. Admission is free to this concert.

The 2023 Festival Choirs include:

  • The Choral Society of West Georgia
  • Troup County Middle School Honor Chorus
  • Lafayette Christian School Chorus
  • LaGrange College Singers
  • Point University Concert Choir
  • Sons of Lafayette Male Choir

Here is a look at the official poster for this event:

AnnouncementNews

Opening Rehearsal for Spring Season

Bettie W. Biggs – Artistic Director,
Andrew Harry – Musical Director, and
Brenda Mitchell – Board President
proudly announce

The 2023 Spring Concert Season

Opening Rehearsal: Thursday, January 12
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Parish Hall

Registration: 6:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Open Rehearsal: 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

All interested and returning singers are invited to attend!


Our Spring Concert Schedule:

Friday March 3
Azalea Storytelling Festival (preview concert)

Saturday March 11
The West Georgia Choral Arts Festival 2023

Sunday March 26
The Promise of Spring – Spring Concert

Join Us! Rehearsal Starts – Thursday, January 12, 2023.

News

We Gather Together – concert review in photos

November 20, 2022 – A Concert of Praise, Thanksgiving, and Remembrance

The Choral Society President, Brenda Mitchell, gave a wonderful greeting that described the night perfectly:

We Gather Together – A Concert of Praise, Thanksgiving and Remembrance is a joyous seasonal celebration featuring the spoken word intertwined with a cornucopia of stunningly beautiful music. Tonight is an especially poignant performance as our founder, musical and artistic director, Bettie Biggs, will “pass the baton” of musical direction to our accompanist and assistant director, Andrew Harry.

Eight former narrators in collaboration with guest musicians and the choir will most assuredly make this a deeply memorable and cherished evening as we once again “gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing.”

Guest Narrators included: Kim Barber Knoll, Dr. John Beyers, Carol Cain, Honorable Judge Allen Keeble, Cathy Hunt, Dr. Richard Ingram, Tess Malis Kincaid, and Mercer (Katie) Van Schoor

Guest Musical Artists included: First Baptist Bells, Sally Traylor, Director; Dominic Bernard, Oboe; Jean Brumbeloe, Clarinet; Joe Elder, Double Bass/Guitar; and Dr. Nathaniel Gworek, Percussion

Elizabeth W. Biggs, Artistic Director
Andrew Harry, Choral Society Accompanist and In-Coming Musical Director
Eve McKibben, Associate Accompanist

Held at the First United Methodist Church, The Reverend Dr. John Beyers, Senior Minister

Click any image in the gallery below and a lightbox will open where you may easily click through the images one by one in a larger format.

Please scroll to the bottom of this post and SHARE it.

AnnouncementNews

Fall 2022 Opening Rehearsal and Reception Sept. 8

CSWG 2019

The Choral Society of West Georgia

Elizabeth W. Biggs, Artistic Director
Andrew Harry, Accompanist and Assistant Director

Proudly Announces
The 2022 Fall Concert Season, Opening Rehearsal and Reception
All new, interested and returning singers are invited to attend!
Thursday, September 8, 2022

Registration: 5:45 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.    Rehearsal and reception: 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

 St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Parish Hall
207 North Greenwood Street 

Contact for information:

choralsocietyofwestgeorgia@gmail.com       https://www.choralsocietyofwestgeorgia.org

AnnouncementNews

Carnegie Hall Concert Event

The Memorial Day weekend marked this much anticipated concert at Carnegie Hall. Under the direction of esteemed composer/conductor John Rutter, twelve singers represented the Choral Society of West Georgia (CSWG) in this project which has been “on hold” since 2019 due to the pandemic.

Pictured above are Front Row L to R: Ed Biggs, Melinda Mobley, Paula Sharp – CSWG President, Brenda Mitchell – CSWG Vice President, Mary Ann Smoot, Lauren Collins, Samantha Cotton.  Back Row L to R: Barbara Hart, Dana Langford, Bettie Biggs – CSWG Artistic Director, Mark Ladd, Corrye Mobley

Over 200 American singers gathered in New York City for rehearsals and final concert performance in Carnegie Hall under the direction of Dr. Rutter. The music included two moving pieces of music. They were Dr. Rutter’s Requiem, which was dedicated to his father and written in 1986, along with his newly composed Ukranian Prayer, which he recently wrote in response to the horrific Russian attack on Ukraine.

CSWG Artistic Director Bettie Biggs described the event as a glorious, profound and uplifting experience personally, professionally, spiritually and certainly musically. It was most certainly a “night to remember” for all of us.

To listen to a sample recording of Rutter’s recently composed Ukranian Prayer that opened the Carnegie Hall concert, CLICK HERE.

Here are some images shared from the event.


News

Sing, Sing, Sing!

Click any image to expand it to full size. Use your arrow keys (or swipe on mobile device) to advance through the gallery.

These are images taken at First United Methodist Church of LaGrange of the Choral Society of West Georgia’s spring event entitled Sing, Sing, Sing! on Sunday, March 20th, 2022.

Thank you to all who helped make this concert a wonderful success.

News

2022 Winter Rehearsal Schedule

When: Beginning Thursday January 13, 2022

Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Where: St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Parish Hall

Who: All interested and fully vaccinated singers are invited to attend the opening rehearsal!

We look forward to seeing you Thursday, January 13, 2022 for a great winter season!


Choral Society of West Georgia
email: choralsocietyofwestgeorgia@gmail.com
Ph: 706-882-2734


News

Great October Organ Extravaganza

Coming up Saturday, October 30, 2021 at 7:00 PM – First Baptist Church on the Square in LaGrange, GA – No Charge – Open to the Public.

You don’t want to miss this wonderful organ concert that is free and open to the public.  Sponsored by the Choral Society of West Georgia, this annual event features the areas finest organists.

Featured performers include:
Ken Bailey – St. Luke United Methodist Church Columbus
Anthony Criswell – First Baptist Church on the Square LaGrange
Tyra Crowe – First Presbyterian Church LaGrange
Robin Ericksen – St. Mark’s Episcopal Church LaGrange
Eve McKibben – First United Methodist Church Hogansville
Don Papenbrock – First United Methodist Church LaGrange

Masks are strongly recommended.

Great October Organ Extravaganza

News

Rehearsal Reminder

Rehearsals begin this Thursday September 9th, 2021 at St. Mark’s Parish Hall!

Registration: 6:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Rehearsal: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

All singers must be fully vaccinated and provide CDC vaccine verification to sing as a member of the Choral Society of West Georgia 2021-22 concert season.

News

Concert Season Info

Singers, friends and colleagues,

Good morning!

At the June board of directors meeting, important and necessary decisions were made regarding the upcoming 2021-22 concert season. These decisions were made based on information carefully gathered from legal, medical and public health professionals within our community.

There are also strict protocols set forth by the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta which directly impact our use of the St. Mark’s Parish Hall as the permanent rehearsal site. Therefore, we are moving forward and planning for the opening of the concert season based on expectations and protocols implemented to assure the safest possible rehearsal and concert environment for all Choral Society singers and staff.

Should you decide to sing this year, we kindly request that you respect the following board decisions:
1. All members must be fully vaccinated in order to participate in rehearsals and concerts – this is to protect fellow choristers, the director and accompanist (Vaccinated persons can still be infected by a non-vaccinated carrier of the virus!! This situation actually occurred this past month within my immediate family.)
2. All members are required to provide proof (CDC card) of vaccination at the first rehearsal – this will also satisfy the agreement criteria with the St. Mark’s Vestry and administration as “any singers using the facility are required to be fully vaccinated”
3. Singers will be required to sign a vaccination agreement waiver which releases the CSWG from possible liability should a positive case occur during the course of the season

The board and I certainly respect each individual’s personal decision regarding vaccination and the decision to sing. The organization cannot possibly initiate an active and secure concert season should we ignore the reality of the circumstances in which we find ourselves. Unfortunately, singing creates the “perfect storm” which rapidly and forcefully distributes the virus deep into the lower lobes of the lungs. Without safeguards in place, we are placing ourselves and our colleagues at greater risk of infection.

Nothing is more important than the secure health of our members and staff. We are optimistic that our members will be supportive of these decisions as we safely begin a new season once again filled with the joy of singing!

Andrew Harry will be with us as accompanist and artistic consultant. Congratulations are also in order for Andrew upon his new appointment as piano and music theory faculty member at Point University! And….stay tuned, for Baby Harry is due in August!

Updates:
The following is the projected schedule for the concert season. We will proceed with this calendar as of now.
My sincerest thanks to the members of our board for their tireless work, support and vision during this past year. Their commitment to provide three remarkable virtual concert offerings kept our organization relevant and connected with our community and supporters.

Choral Society Concert Season 2021-22

First Rehearsal: Thursday September 9
Registration: 6:00 p.m.
Rehearsal: 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Site: St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Parish Hall

Saturday October 30 – 7 p.m.
The Great October Organ Extravaganza
Site: First Baptist Church on the Square
Free and Open to the Public

Sunday November 21 – 5:30 p.m.
We Gather Together Annual Thanksgiving Concert
First United Methodist Church Sanctuary (in compliance with their safety protocols)

No Choral Festival 2022

Winter/Spring Session
Rehearsal/Registration: Thursday January 6
Sing, Sing, Sing! Spring Concert
Sunday March 27 – 4:00 p.m.
First United Methodist Church

I hope to see you on Thursday September 9!
Bettie

News

A Homecoming Concert

The Choral Society of West Georgia proudly presents

“A Homecoming Concert
with Friends of the Choral Society.” 

Beginning March 26, 2021, this concert will be available to view free from our website.

Share a unique musical experience as the Choral Society gathers together outstanding professional “homegrown” musicians in concert who have achieved national and international success in the worlds of jazz, opera, conducting, classical piano and voice, and of course, Broadway!

Special Tribute:

A special tribute will honor the outstanding career of baritone David Malis.

The concert will also feature a performance by Choral Society of West Georgia accompanist and artistic collaborator, Andrew Harry.

Andrew Harry
Andrew Harry

The 2021 featured performers are:

AnnouncementNews

CSWG YouTube Channel Published

The Choral Society of West Georgia now has a YouTube Channel!  Our first video uploaded was the Phantoms of the Organ concert 2020 – Special Virtual Edition.  As we move forward, more videos will be shared with you via this channel.  You can easily find us on YouTube here:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTNXxYI9DeoMJPHNWD2MEKg/

We hope you subscribe to our channel, and click the little bell icon at the top right of the channel window to get notifications when a new video is uploaded.

AnnouncementNews

Phantoms of the Organ Concert Published

The 2020 “Phantoms of the Organ” virtual concert video has been posted.  Watch this terrific concert the Choral Society of West Georgia’s website homepage: https://choralsocietyofwestgeorgia.org/

What you will see

This concert features :

  • Don Papenbrock – First United Methodist Church, LaGrange
  • Paul Culp – St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, LaGrange
  • Eve McKibben – Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, Hogansville
  • Tyra Crowe – First Presbyterian Church, LaGrange
  • Anthony Criswell – First Baptist Church, LaGrange
  • Ken Bailey – St. Luke United Methodist Church, Columbus
  • Special appearance of the Quarantine Quartet (Rob Kirby)

Remember to click the icon in the lower right of the viewer to watch this great concert FULL SCREEN!

News

Virtual Organ Concert Set to Air October 29-31, 2020!

“Phantoms of the Organ” a Virtual Concert Video will be available to enjoy from the comfort of your own home. October 29th-31st 2020.

Featured performers are: Ken Bailey, Anthony Criswell, Tyra Crowe, Paul Culp, Eve McKibben, and Don Papenbrock.

The Choral Society of West Georgia is proud to present this wonderful organ concert with the areas top organists. See this concert on the Choral Society of West Georgia’s homepage from October 29th through October 31st, 2020. Here is a handy link: https://choralsocietyofwestgeorgia.org/

Organ Concert

Watch for this wonderful video to be posted October 29th through October 31st, 2020!

News

The Choral Society of West Georgia Receives Grant Funding from Georgia Council for the Arts

GCA

ATLANTA  – The Choral Society of West Georgia was awarded a grant of $4,950 by the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA), a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, as part of its initial disbursement of grants for fiscal year 2021. One hundred and forty-eight organizations throughout the state were collectively awarded more than $1 million in funding for operating support (Partner Grant), arts projects (Project Grant), or an Arts Education Program Grant. Additional grants in the Vibrant Communities and Cultural Facilities program areas will be awarded in the Fall of 2020.

“This initial round of funding awarded by Georgia Council for the Arts serves to support the critical work arts organizations and artists are doing in communities to foster connectivity, rekindle joy, and support lifelong learning during these dynamic times,” said GCA Executive Director Karen Paty. “Knowing the challenges faced by our colleagues across the state due to the impact of COVID-19, it was particularly hard to not be able to fund all deserving applicants. The applications we reviewed provided evidence of continued exceptional arts programs in support of education, community development and economic development offered by arts organizations throughout the state. The staff and Board of GCA celebrate that work in all 159 counties, whether or not we are financially able to support it through these grant programs.” 

Funds awarded by Georgia Council for the Arts include appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Georgia Council for the Arts uses Peer Review Panels to judge and review applications following standard practices set by the National Endowment for the Arts. Panelists are GCA Council members and fellow professionals who are experienced in the arts discipline or type of grant being reviewed, or are citizens with a record of arts activities, experience and knowledge. Grant recipients include choral groups in addition to theaters, dance companies, museums, colleges and multi-discipline arts entities.

News

Raising their Voice – LaGrange Daily News

Front Page Article, Thursday March 5, 2020 – Reprinted from the LaGrange Daily News

Choral Arts Festival to present more than 200 singers

BY JENNA ODEN DAILY NEWS

Choral Festival 2019
2019 Festival, photo by L. Katie Roberts

The Choral Society of West Georgia, in collaboration with LaGrange College, is gearing up for the annual Choral Arts Festival.  “This is our fifth year presenting this,” said Artistic Director Betty Biggs. “The concert was developed in order to secure a grant from the Georgia Council of Arts. The event was developed around hosting area choirs in the West Georgia and South Alabama areas with a guest director.”  This year’s guest director is La-Grange College’s new Choral Director, Dr. Samuel Miller.

“We generally invite six to eight choirs,” Biggs said. “We will have roughly 200 voices. We try to span the singers ages, as far as very young singers, developing singers, collegiate singers and as well as the more mature choirs.”  Two Troup County middle schools will participate in the festival this year, including the Callaway Middle School Chorus and the Long Cane Middle School Chorus.  Additionally, another young choir, Voices of the Valley Children’s Chorus and Prima Voce, will perform.

“Olivia McWaters is one of the assistant directors of the Voices of the Valley,” Biggs said. “She now has started a new choir called Prima Voce. Olivia is from LaGrange and a graduate of LaGrange High School. After all these years, she is coming back.”  According to Biggs, Voices of the Valley has been a part of the choral festival since its inception five years ago.

Other choirs performing include Young Singers of West Georgia High School Ensemble, Carroll County Community Choir, The Choral Society of West Georgia and LaGrange College Chamber Choir.

Dr. Samuel Miller

“We are excited about Dr. Sam Miller,” Biggs said. “It is his first year here in LaGrange.”  Biggs said Miller was chosen as the guest director because they wanted a way to introduce him to the community as the newest director at LaGrange College.  “We are also very excited about the brand-new chorus singing with us this year from the Carroll County area,” Biggs said. “They are an 80-voice choir.”

The Festival Choral Celebration will begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, at Callaway Auditorium on LaGrange College’s campus. Admission is free, and it is open to the public.  All choirs will perform two ensembles, and then as the grand finale all choirs will perform three pieces together on stage.  Biggs said the choirs have been practicing for the show since music was sent out after Christmas.  “I hope the community comes out to this because we have superb and excellent music traditions in this area,” Biggs said.  “We are bringing in choirs from the area that people are not familiar with and giving them a chance to perform in this area.”  Biggs said she is proud that since creating the program, the choral society has been able to keep the momentum going for five years.  “I always wonder on that first time when everyone gets together, will it all come to fruition?” Biggs said.  “When they all open their mouths and all 205 or so are singing, it is remarkable. It’s a great way to put singers in touch with other singers of all ages.”

AnnouncementNews

West Georgia Choral Arts Festival 2020

West Georgia Choral Arts Festival 2020

Saturday March 14, 2020

4:00 p.m. – Callaway Auditorium, LaGrange College

Dr. Samuel Miller – Guest Director

This Concert is a collaborative effort of the Choral Society of West Georgia and the LaGrange College Music Department

Admission is free and open to the public

Featuring:

  • Callaway Middle School Chorus
  • Carroll County Community Chorus
  • Choral Society of West Georgia
  • LaGrange College Chamber Choir
  • Long Cane Middle School Chorus
  • Prima Voce/Voices of the Valley Children’s Chorus
  • Young Singers of West Georgia High School Ensemble

Each chorus will perform two individual selections and then all 250 voices will join in a collaborative concert under the direction of Dr. Samuel Miller, Director of Choral Activities at LaGrange College.

NewsPast Performance

Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy with the LSO!

Here are a few photos courtesy of the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra.  What a wonderful evening performing for a sold-out house!  Click on an image to view larger versions and easily go through a slideshow.  More great images can be found on the LSO facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/lagrangesymphony/

 

AnnouncementNewsPast Performance

We Gather Together Photos

Here are a few photos from We Gather Together, a concert of Praise, Thanksgiving and Remembrance –  featuring the Choral Society of West Georgia and special guest artists, The Vega Quartet – Elizabeth Fayette, Jessica Wu, Yinzi Kong, and Guang Wang; Amanda Harry; Jason Hernandez; and Carol Cain – Guest Narrator.  Thank you to everyone involved in making this concert such a success.

(Click any image to see a larger display and start a slideshow)

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NewsUncategorized

River Cruise August 6-13, 2021

The Choral Society of West Georgia Proudly Presents A River Cruise On The Moselle, Rhine and Main Rivers

August 6-13, 2021

Trier – Oldest City in Germany

Daily Schedule:  

Day 1 REMICH, LUXEMBOURG

Day 2 EXCURSION TO TRIER  

Day 3 BERNKASTEL, GERMANY

Day 4 RHINE GORGE—RÜDESHEIM

Day 5 MAIN RIVER VILLAGE

Day 6 WÜRZBURG

Day 7 BAMBERG

Day 8 Nuremberg

Total Cost $2,249 for 7 nights!

Avalon River Cruises

This river cruise is a must for anyone with an appreciation for wine. Relaxation and enrichment headline slow-moving rivers lined with sleepy villages and lush slopes covered with vines.

Included in the price are excursions each day, breakfast, lunch and dinner, beer, wine and soft drinks (with lunch and dinner).   Coffees, teas and bottled water are available all day.   TV’s, 110 outlets, ports, refrigerator, safes & hair dryers are in rooms. The ship selected offers a cabin size of approximately 172ft2 or 200ft2 for those wishing to upgrade, plus free in-room continental breakfast and a whirlpool! Arrive Luxembourg City no later than August 6 and transfer to Remich and the vessel. Depart from Nuremburg on August 13. For those desiring, the cruise offers additional nights in Prague, Paris and/or London.

 

Deposit is required by December 15, 2020.

Please contact the Choral Society for details.

choralsocietyofwestgeorgia@gmail.com

Ph:  706-882-2734

News

The Great Spooktacular

Despite a last minute change of venue, the 2019 Great Spooktacular Organ Concert drew a very large crowd.  Here are a few candid photos.

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AnnouncementNews

Vega Quartet to perform with Choral Society of West Georgia in LaGrange

The wonderfully talented Vega Quartet will perform with the Choral Society of West Georgia on November 24, 2019 at the First United Methodist Church in LaGrange, Georgia. This concert is titledWe Gather Together,” and is a concert of thanksgiving, praise and remembrance.  Concert begins at 5:30 PM.  A terrific concert that is sure to please and is a great start to the holiday season!

The Vega String Quartet, Quartet-in-Residence at Emory University, is cultivating a new generation of chamber music lovers through dynamic performances and innovative community engagement.  The New York Times raved that “[the Quartet’s] playing had a kind of clean intoxication to it, pulling the listener along…the musicians took real risks in their music making” and the L.A. Times praised their “triumphant L.A. debut.”  They concertize both nationally and internationally, most recently in Baltimore, Chicago, Nashville, Sacramento, Berlin, San Miguel, and the Brahmssaal in Vienna’s Musikverein. The Quartet’s major performing projects at Emory have included performing the complete cycle of Beethoven quartets, as well as pairing Bach’s complete works for solo violin, viola and cello with the six Bartók quartets.  They have also developed a series of “Jazz Meets Classics” programs, bringing the two genres together. Recent highlights include the Quartet’s debut at Amsterdam’s famed Concertgebouw, a multi-city tour of Denmark, with performances at venues such as the Royal Danish Conservatory, and appearances at El Paso Pro Musica and the Sitka Music Festival.

The Vega Quartet has won numerous international awards, including at the Bordeaux String Quartet Competition, as well as top prizes from the Coleman Chamber Ensemble Competition, the Carmel Chamber Music Competition, and the National Society of Arts and Letters String Quartet Competition.  They tour throughout Asia, Europe and North America and have appeared at Weill Hall and Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, Bargemusic, and Duke Hall at the Royal Academy of Music, London.

CLICK HERE for tickets to this event.
NewsSPECIAL NOTICE

Sit and Sing Open House!

All Sopranos, Altos, Tenors, Baritones and Basses are cordially invited to sit and sing with

The Choral Society of West Georgia

Opening Rehearsal

Thursday September 12, 2019

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Parish Hall

LaGrange, Georgia

AnnouncementNewsSPECIAL NOTICE

‘Tis the Season to be Singing – an Invitation

‘Tis the Season to be Singing with The Choral Society of West Georgia!

2019-2020 Concert Season

You are Cordially Invited to Join Us for

The Annual Afternoon Kickoff Barbecue Celebration

Sunday September 8, 2019 – 4:00 p.m.

2003 Foxcroft Drive LaGrange, Georgia

All the fixin’s, iced tea and dessert provided!
All singers, interested singers, and significant others are invited for an afternoon of fun, friends, and really good food!
Shake, Rattle and Roll on Over!

AnnouncementNewsSPECIAL NOTICE

Choral Society Announces 2019-2020 Season!

  • Concert Season Kickoff: Sunday September 8 – 4 p.m. – Biggs Home
  • First Rehearsal: Thursday September 12  6:30 p.m. – St. Mark’s Parish Hall 
  • The Great Spooktacular Organ Concert – Saturday October 26  7:00 p.m. – First United Methodist Church
  • We Gather Together – A Concert of Praise, Thanksgiving, and Remembrance: Sunday November 24 – 5:30 p.m.  Site TBA
  • The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra Holiday Concert: Tuesday December 10  7:30 p.m. – Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy with Andrew Harry, piano soloist
  • Caroling on the Square – Saturday December 21 – 5 p.m. (optional – this is NOT a performance venue but a community carol sing-a-long sponsored by the Downtown Development Authority and supported by the community choral organizations)
  • An Evening with Robert Burns and The Royal Order of the Tartan Scottish Annual Gathering: – Saturday January 25 – 6 p.m.  Site TBA
  • The West Georgia Choral Arts Festival: Saturday March 14 – LaGrange College/Callaway Auditorium
  • The John Rutter/Carnegie Hall Requiem Project: May 22, 23, 24, 25 – New York City, New York
NewsPast Performance

Gilbert & Sullivan Photos

What a wonderful evening of dinner and entertainment!  Here are some photos from the event.

NewsPast Performance

Choral Festival 2019 Review

 

(more photos below)

On the afternoon of March 9, 2019, the LaGrange College Callaway Auditorium was truly filled with “the sound of music” as two hundred and sixty-five singers, instrumentalists with an attending audience of over five hundred gathered together for the fourth annual West Georgia Choral Arts Festival. Singers from ages eight to eighty were featured in some of the area’s most outstanding choirs. Collaboratively, the sheer force of their singing was breathtaking in both scope, size, sound and spectrum.

The first half of the concert featured each choir performing two selections of their director’s choice. LaGrange College Singers under the direction of Debbie Ogle, opened the festival with an energetic and highly polished performance of John Rutter’s Clap Your Hands followed by Moses Hogan’s arrangement of Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho. As the co-partner in this event, the LaGrange College choral singers set a high standard for the choirs that followed and assured the audience of a splendid afternoon of great choral music!

Outstanding youth, high school, collegiate and adult choirs sang with polished sophistication, exceptional musicianship, remarkable maturity, and stunning stage presence. The audience was mesmerized and thoroughly entranced as one spectacular performance following yet another. The excitement was palatable throughout the entire hall as each choir shared refined performances offering a wide and interesting variety in both choral literature and styles:

  • LaGrange College Singers – Debbie Ogle, Director
  • First Baptist Music Makers Choir – Sally Traylor, Director
  • Long Cane Middle School Cougar Chorus – Asha Brown, Director
  • Harris County High School Bel Canto Women-Pam Pope, Director
  • Sons of Lafayette Male Choir – Darian Krimm, Director
  • Point University Concert Choir – Dr. Byron Cartwright, Director
  • The Choral Society of West Georgia – Elizabeth Biggs, Director
  • Atlanta Christian Fellowship Baptist Church – Dr. Oliver N. Greene, Jr., Director (collaborative festival choir only)

The second half of the concert featured the collaborative 2019 Festival Choir which joined all two hundred sixty five singers together on stage under the direction of LaGrange native and guest director Dr. Oliver N. Greene, Jr., Andrew Harry was festival accompanist for this event.

John Leavitt’s celebratory Festival Sanctus, energized and overwhelmed the hall with the sheer power of the sound of these voices joined together in wondrous choral harmony under Dr. Greene’s expert, sensitive and yet robust direction. It was truly an “out of body” experience! The addition of a superb LaGrange College percussion ensemble added a sparkling vibrant quality to this well known and exciting composition.

Dr. Greene followed the opening number with Dr. Roland Carter’s arrangement of Ride On Jesus which infused depth, contrast and a unique a cappella approach to this less known but none-the-less fascinating old African American spiritual.

As noted, all two hundred sixty five singers were on stage during this portion of the concert. The youth and middle school choirs participated beautifully but their tender and lovely introduction in Mack Wilberg’s arrangement of He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands was stunningly simple yet so profound causing a hush to envelope the entire hall at that moment when they began to sing those old familiar words and tune. This was an ideal and most fitting closing number for a perfectly wonderful afternoon of music making together.  It brought to fruition in both word and music, the power of many voices joined in harmony, for just that one moment in time,  together as one voice, without regard to race, creed, age, religion or beliefs…….it was a joyous musical community event and a great tribute and triumph for all those involved……since the inaugural concert four years ago, this The West Georgia Choral Arts Festival  continues to grow, prosper, and offer singers and supporters an opportunity to celebrate the value, heart, soul and transformative power of choral music….of singing together….of being in true harmony with one another.

“Choral music is not one of life’s frills. It’s something that goes to the very heart of our humanity, our sense of community, and our souls. You express, when you sing, your soul in song. And when you get together with a group of other singers, it becomes more than the sum of the parts.

 All of those people are pouring out their hearts and souls in perfect harmony, which is kind of an emblem for what we need in this world, when so much of the world is at odds with itself….that just to express, in symbolic terms, what it’s like when human beings are in harmony. That’s a lesson for our times and for all time…..and that’s a value that goes beyond the music itself.”                                                              John Rutter, Anglican Composer/Conductor

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News

A Very English Evening with Gilbert and Sullivan Dinner Concert -details now set!

Mark your calendars and don’t delay in getting your tickets as seating is limited.  The Choral Society of West Georgia is bringing you a Very English Evening with Gilbert and Sullivan. Dinner concert has been set for St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, LaGrange, GA on Saturday, March 23, 2019 beginning at 6:00 PM.  Tickets include dinner, concert and wine.  All for only $45.  Advance sales only, no tickets will be sold at the door.  

Now to The Banquet We Press! – A Dinner Concert Musical Celebration.

Get Tickets HERE

NewsPast Performance

“We Gather Together” Photos

This concert of Praise, Thanksgiving and Remembrance at First Presbyterian church, was the perfect event to attend in this season of reflection.  (You will see numerous photos from the Saturday night performance below.)  Artistic director, Bettie Biggs, put together a wonderfully full program. The opening procession was a surprise, and the experience of such a full sound of voices in the beautiful sanctuary was angelic.  With the chiming of the hours, and WGCS president, Rickey Basko reciting the Lincoln Proclamation, the concert began.  Special guests on the program were: The Reverend Dr. John Beyers, narrator, The West Georgia Brass Quintet, and Marcia Taber, cello.  The Choral Society of West Georgia accompanist on piano and organ was Andrew Harry.  Soloists included Ed Biggs, Tenor, and Ginger Burdo, Soprano. The concert included numbers with Jason Hernandez on Percussion, Sim Crisler on Bass, and Christine Lightholder on piano.  (Click any image to easily advance through photos.  You can also choose “full-screen” to view larger)

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News

West Georgia Brass Quintet to be Featured

The Choral Society of West Georgia, under the direction of Bettie Biggs, has announced the guest narrator and featured performers for their upcoming concert “We Gather Together.” This will be a concert of Praise, Thanksgiving and Remembrance.  Two performances will be held at the First Presbyterian Church in LaGrange, Georgia.  Saturday, November 17th, 2018 at 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, November 18th, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. 

Dr. John Beyers
Rev. Dr. John Beyers

Guest narrator is the Rev. Dr. John Beyers, Sr. Minister at First Methodist Church, LaGrange. 

Featured musicians are the West Georgia Brass Quintet under the direction of Dr. Brandon Slocumb. Dr. Slocomb, trombone, is Director of Bands and Brass studies at LaGrange College.  Dr. Michael Covington and Dr. Mark DiGoti are professors of trumpet at Auburn University,  Dr. Natalie Brooke Higgins, French Horn and Mr. Bernard Flythe, tuba, are both professors at the Columbus State University Schwob School of Music.

Tickets are $15 in advance ($20 at the door) and may be purchased from: Plum Southern, The MarketPlace, any member of the Choral Society of West Georgia or the website:  www.choralsocietyofwestgeorgia.org

AnnouncementNews

We Gather Together – A Concert of Praise, Thanksgiving and Remembrance

The official poster for this concert has just been released.  The Choral Society of West Georgia will present two performances of “We Gather Together” at First Presbyterian Church in LaGrange, Georgia.  The first performance is on Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 7:00 PM.  The second is on Sunday, November 18, 2018 at 5:30 PM.  Advance tickets are $15 each. At the door, tickets will be $20.  You may buy your advance tickets from this website conveniently through our event calendar HERE.  They are also available at MarketPlace on LaFayette Square and Plum Southern in LaGrange.  You may purchase a ticket from any member of the Choral Society of West Georgia.

First Presbyterian Church is located at:  120 Broad St, LaGrange, GA

Choral Society of West Georgia
P. O. Box 151
LaGrange, GA 30241
Ph: 706-882-2734
email: choralsocietyofwestgeorgia@gmail.com
www.choralsocietyofwestgeorgia.org

AnnouncementNews

Phantoms of the Organ

SpooktacularLaGrange’s Great Spooktacular Organ Concert!  Sponsored by the Choral Society of West Georgia in collaboration with the LaGrange Downtown Development Authority, talented area organists will share their amazing and most fun-filled seasonal organ skills on Saturday evening, October 27, in a free, family-friendly Great Spectacular Organ Concert!  What a great outing for friends and family.  Featuring Ken Bailey, Cindy Brown, Eve McKibben, Anthony Criswell, Randall Smith, Tyra Crowe, James Camp, Andrew Harry and Paul Culp.

Organists

Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 27 and this great Spooktacular Concert held at 7:00 PMFirst United Methodist Church in LaGrange, GA.  

AnnouncementNews

Choral Society of West Georgia Approved for Grant!

The Choral Society of West Georgia was approved this week for a grant for $4,950 from the Georgia Council of the Arts to host its annual choral festival in LaGrange.

By Alicia B. Hill, published LaGrange Daily News 7/5/18

Georgia Council for the ArtsThe guidelines for the grant emphasized community impact, an area that organizers of the free annual West Georgia Choral Arts Festival put an emphasis.

The choral society applied for the grant in February.

“This is a significant award,” said Bettie Biggs, the West Georgia Choral Arts Festival coordinator.

“These project grants are few and far between, and our grant writing staff has worked very diligently to submit the most professional grant possible. It will help to cover the cost and expense of the West Georgia Choral Arts Festival.”

The grant is exclusively for use for the festival, which features a variety of performances by local groups each year ranging from local school choirs to choral groups that have graced professional venues. The next festival will be the fourth annual choral arts festival in 2019.

“We are privileged to be able to be a partner with LaGrange College music department for the use of their facilities, the Callaway Auditorium, and their staff is supportive of everything that we do,” Biggs said. “That [partnership] was a vital component of the grant.”

The maximum possible award is $5,000, and while requests from eligible partner and arts education applicants exceeded $2.7 million, GCA was only able to award $1.9 million of the requests, according to information from GCA.

The Choral Society of West Georgia will also receive $2,000 in funding from the City of LaGrange this fiscal year.

Here is the link to this LDN article: https://shar.es/anNeJ6

NewsPast Performance

Southern Serenade to Spring

The Choral Society of West Georgia marked its final concert of the 2018-19 season on Sunday May 6th featuring Bel Canto LaGrange Women’s Ensemble. This unique choir under the direction of artistic director, Bettie Biggs features choral music specifically arranged and performed for treble choirs highlighting the beauty of women’s voices in concert.

A Southern Serenade to Spring celebrated the diversity and beauty of music originating from the South. From the Appalachians to the Mississippi Delta, these songs were a tribute to the music which sprang from the rich resources of the Southern homelands. A wide variety of pieces were performed from lonesome mountain love ballads to the soul stirring music of the African American spiritual.

Joining Bel Canto this year was the unique Atlanta based instrumental duo known as Bow and Banjo. Featuring Erica Ransbottom on cello and Jody Hughes on banjo, these superb musicians were a perfect compliment to the choral performances of the afternoon. The instrumental blend of two rarely heard instruments together added an interesting and rich contrast to the entire program.

Featuring Cindy Brown on piano, Rick Adams, guest commentator, and Sim Crisler, percussion the large audience was completely entertained on a glorious spring afternoon.  To perfectly compliment the concert, performers and audience members attended a reception in the St. Mark’s Parish Hall immediately following the performance.

Here are a few photos from this wonderful event.

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AnnouncementNews

A Southern Serenade to Spring

A Choral Celebration of
Southern Songs for Women’s Voices

Bel Canto LaGrange Women’s Ensemble

Featuring Bow and Banjo – A Cello and Banjo Duet of Erica Ransbottom and Jody Hughes.

Sunday May 6, 2018

4 PM at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church

Tickets are $15 each and are available on this website HERE, or from Plum Southern, Tournesol, or from any member of Bel Canto LaGrange.

Join Bel Canto LaGrange and Bow and Banjo!

Tickets include a reception following the concert in the St. Mark’s Parish Hall

NewsPast Performance

2018 West Georgia Choral Arts Festival – Exceptional!

The festival concert,  was held at 4:00 p.m. in the Callaway Auditorium on Saturday March 10th, 2018. As part of the Choral Society’s community outreach commitment, the event was free and open to the public. This project was co-sponsored with the LaGrange College Department of Music.

For the singers, the  festival day began with morning rehearsals.  They spent the first half of the day reviewing and rehearsing the music that would be performed that afternoon. Each director chose two selections which would best represent their choir’s skills and talents. The day was divided into a morning session, a lunch break, and a collaborative afternoon session under the direction of the guest director, Dr. Michelle Herring-Folta. The full formal concert was the result of excellent preparation, extensive planning and outstanding musicianship.  Working together in such a fashion builds camaraderie as well as a network for these talented singers from our local area.  Singing can be a life-long fulfillment as was testament onstage. While the choirs spanned a variety of generations, they became one united entity for the final collaborative performance.

This year, the noted guest director was Dr. Michelle Herring-Folta.  Dr. Herring-Folta is the assistant professor of choral/general music education at Columbus State University and the artistic director for the Voices of the Valley Children’s Chorus. Dr. Herring-Folta earned her Ph.D. in Music Education at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. Previous degrees include a Bachelor’s degree in Music Studies from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s degree in Music Education from the University of North Texas.

2018 West Georgia Choral Festival Choirs:

LaGrange College Chamber Choir, Dr. Beth Everett, Director; Diane Voegtlin, piano
Faithful Hearts Women’s Ensemble, Sandy Blair, Director
Masterworks Chorale, Kathy Bizarth, Director; Andrew Harry, piano
Phi Mu Alpha Men’s Ensemble of Columbus State University, Joshua Partridge, Director
Lafayette Christian School Chorale, Darlene Shaw, Director/piano with Jalen Smith, Assistant Director
Voices of the Valley Children’s Community Chorus, Dr. Michelle Herring-Folta, Director; Sam Brown, piano
The Choral Society of West Georgia, Elizabeth W. Biggs, Director; Ken Bailey, Associate Director; Andrew Harry, piano; Jason Hernandez, percussion

The 2018 Festival Chorus, under the direction of Dr. Michelle Herring-Folta with Sam Brown, piano and Jason Hernandez, percussion, performed the following pieces:
The Music of Living – Dan Forrest
Distant Land – John Rutter
He Never Failed Me Yet – Robert Ray with Caleb Brown and Landon Bell, soloists

The choirs, individually, performed exceptionally well. Each one was musically unique, well prepared, and presented an outstanding variety of literature, genre, and voicings. Collaboratively, the final choral presentation was simply spectacular in size, scope and success.

Two hundred and forty five singers completely draped the stage at Callaway Auditorium, as seen in the photos. The sheer joy of this extraordinary musical experience was truly evident on the faces of the singers, instrumentalists and Dr. Herring-Folta. She directed with enormous sensitivity, control and experience. Her choice of literature for the festival choir showcased their ability to perform with energy, power, contrast, and great musical nuance. As an audience member, the combined force of  listening to these voices was staggering. One could audibly hear the audience’s intake of breath when the first two chords were sung. There was no doubt that many of the listeners wished they could become a part of such an endeavor.

With a standing ovation and three encores, the 2018 West Georgia Choral Arts Festival was a truly sublime and remarkable community choral event and further substantiates the transformative power of people united together through word and song.

“To sing like this, in the company of other souls, and to make those consonants slip out so easily and in unison, and to make those chords so rich that they bring tears to your eyes. This is transcendence. This is the power that choral singing has that other music can only dream of –”

Garrison Keillor, American humorist, writer and avid choir member….

 

Presented by the Choral Society of West Georgia and the LaGrange College Music Department, this Choral Arts Festival is sponsored in part through the generosity of The West Point Fund, InterfaceFlor, and the Choral Society of West Georgia.

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