Choir History

History of the University Concert Choir

Welcome to the Fayetteville State University Concert Choir. The Choir, a part of the Department of the Performing and Fine Arts, is comprised of students from all areas of the University. The choir sings the music of all styles and meets every day from 11:00 to 11:50 a.m. The Choir has performed in the United States, Europe, and Canada. Our history dates back to 1883. Records show that vocal music and music theory were incorporated into the curriculum as early as 1883. During the 1930’s there existed the Mozart Club, The Girl’s Glee Club, the Men’s Glee Club, and the Jubilee Singers. In 1944, Mr. George Van Hoy Collins joined the Music Faculty as Choir Director. A graduate of Hampton Institute, he was a pupil of the renown African-American composer, Dr. R. Nathaniel Dett. In 1947, the Choir made a radio broadcast from station WPTF in Raleigh and also sang for the first time at the Fayetteville Kiwanis Club. This choir was honored to be the first choral group to sing a Sunday morning service at Hampton Institute in Ogden Hall, a service reserved only for the Hampton Choir. They were also the first choir invited to sing for a broadcast of the Interracial Commission on WPTF in Raleigh. Within the choir were four ensembles: large mixed group, female ensemble, male ensemble, and the female chorus. The Choir made its first recording under Mr. Collins.

In 1950, Mary E. Terry (later Mary T. Eldridge) became Choral Director. A graduate of Oberlin College, she received her MFA from Carnegie Institute of Technology and did additional work at the Pittsburgh Musical Institute, University of Pittsburgh, University of North Carolina, University of California at Berkeley, and Atlanta University. Under her leadership, the Choir’s

reputation grew. Mrs. Eldridge composed the Alma Mater, Old White and Blue, for Fayetteville State. Dr. Lemuel Berry became Choral Director in 1975. A graduate of Livingstone College, he received his Master and Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. Under his leadership, the Choir made their second recording in 1976. He was followed by Dr. Richard Hadley who served as Department Chair and Choral Director. In 1979, Dr. Augustus Pearson assumed the mantel and the Choir performed for the Installation of Chancellor Hackley. The guest speaker for that event was the Governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton. Dr. Pearson led the Choir in a performance for the North Carolina Music Educators Association conference at Duke Chapel. Dr. Robert G. Owens followed as Director in 1991 and later by Dr. Frank Perry in 1993. Dr. Owens resumed conductorship for a second time in 1994. Dr. Marvin V. Curtis was appointed in 1996. Since 1996, the FSU Concert Choir has been on the move. In November of 1996, the Choir performed for former President Jimmy Carter at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux in Fayetteville. This was followed by their participating in A Vocal Extravaganza in Black in Las Vegas. The Choir released its third recording and its first CD, Sing Till the Spirit Moves in My Heart in the fall of 1997. In 1997, the Choir more than doubled in size to 88, and so two groups were formed, FSU Concert Choir and the FSU Choral Ensemble. Dr. Curtis continued with the Concert Choir and Dr. Owens conducted the smaller Choral Ensemble. In the spring of 1998, both choirs, along with the Brass Ensemble and soprano Denise Payton, embarked on their first European tour. The groups performed at The American Church in Paris, Notre Dame, and Euro Disney. They left Paris and sang at three venues in Belgium, including the fifth largest cathedral in the world, the Basilicata Kockelneberg. The ensembles released their second CD, a live recording, called What A Mighty God We Serve featuring Denise Payton as soprano soloist.

In the fall of 1999, Mr. Paul DeBrey, impresario of Transmusical International, invited Dr. Curtis to bring members of the Choir back for an all-expense tour of Belgium during December of that year. From this idea, the FSU Chamber Singers were created. This 28 member ensemble comprised of students from the Concert Choir and Choral Ensemble left on December 3rd for a three week tour of Belgium that included singing at The Cathedral of St. Michel, the church of the Royal Family. The tour included a stop in France and a day trip to Paris. One of the highlights of the tour was a taped broadcast of the choir produced by Belgium Public Television that was shown throughout the country on December 25, 1999. It is estimated that it was watched by two million people. On December 25, 2001 at 3 p.m., this concert was broadcast on NBC-17, the NBC affiliate in Raleigh, North Carolina as a one hour special. This event marked the first time any choir from Fayetteville State University had appeared on television.

Dr. Robert Owens embarked on three tours of the Choral Ensemble through New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia from 1999-2003. His group sang at such places at Covent Ave Baptist Church in New York., Ebenezer Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia and others. On April 26, 2003, the Concert Choir made its debut with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra of Vancouver, British Columbia in Orpheum Hall. Invited by Classic Concert International, the Choir took part in a gala concert called Songs of the People, conducted by Dr. Will Kesling. However, the FSU Concert Choir opened the program by performing, City on the Hill, composed by Dr. Marvin V. Curtis, who also conducted their performance. The Choir then joined five other choral groups for a series of selections, including Feel the Spirit by John Rutter and Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing by Mack Wilberg. Ms. Denise Payton accompanied the Choir and was the guest soloist. With the retirement of Dr. Owens in 2003, the FSU Concert Choir is now 160 members. The plans for the 2003-2004 Choir include a performance of Handel’s Messiah (part I) in December, a tour of the southern states in the spring, and a gala concert at Constitution Hall on April 30, 2004 which also featured the Heritage Restoration Chorale conducted by Mrs. Denise M. Payton.

2008-09 finds the concert choir under the baton of Dr. Denise Murchison Payton. Dr. Payton came to FSU after 28 years of teaching public school music with Cumberland County Schools. Payton holds degrees from NC A&T State University, Fayetteville State University, and Walden University. Dr. Payton has renewed relationships with FSU alumni and has presented concerts throughout for special programming. During her tenure, the choir has grown and the premiere group “Mane Attraction” FSU Women’s Ensemble and Men of Distinction, FSU’s Men’s Ensemble as well as the concert choir are in demand through the state and country. Since 2008, students from the choir have been represented in the 105 Voices of History at the Kennedy Center, on the Grand Ole Opry Stage, as well as performing special concerts for Governor Beverly Perdue for Christmas at the Governor’s Mansion and now have received the ultimate invitation to perform on the Carnegie Hall Stage. FSU Concert Choir presented a Solo Prelude Concert April 15, 2013 where Dr. Payton made her Carnegie Hall conducting debut.