Associate Professor of Voice, Conservatory Choir Director and Choral Artist Matt Oltman, D.M.A., conducted the 2019 Georgia All-State Senior Men’s Chorus in Athens, Georgia, from Feb. 14, through Feb. 16. This highly competitive ensemble comprised 225 of the best young singers from across the state. The repertoire highlighted pieces that focused on humanity’s equality and oneness. A piece commissioned by Oltman for New York City’s Empire City Men’s Chorus, John Conahan’s “One Song,” on a text by Rumi, was given its second-ever performance. Eugene Roger’s arrangement of “Glory” from the movie “Selma” featured R&B soloists and rappers who brought down the house. Additional works included Oltman’s edition of Antoine Brumel’s motet, “O Domine Jesu Christe,” Lee Hoiby’s “Last Letter Home,” Shawn Kirchner’s “Wana Baraka,” and Franz Biebl’s famous “Ave Maria.”
