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Some sensational singing is heading to North Iowa!  The Singers – Minnesota Choral Artists and Choral Acts Ensemble will perform on Wednesday, July 23, at the First Congregational Church in Mason City at 7:30 p.m., as part of the 2008 34th Annual Iowa Choral Directors Association (ICDA) conference, hosted by North Iowa Area Community College.  Tickets for the concert cost $5 and doors will open at 7 p.m.  This concert is open to the public.

“This is the 34th annual ICDA convention to be held in Mason City,” Jayson Ryner, director of choral music at North Iowa Area Community College, said.  “NIACC is proud to bring the convention back each year, and the concert opportunity taking place for the North Iowa community this year is fantastic.”

The Singers – Minnesota Choral Artists is a choral organization formed to impact the community with its presentation of choral music sung at the highest level of artistry.  Under the artistic leadership of conductor Matthew Culloton, the group performs a wide-range of choral repertoire from commissioned new works to choral masterpieces.  The Singers are experienced professional choral artists.    Culloton has served as artistic advisor, assistant conductor, bass section leader and music librarian for The Dale Warland Singers.  He has received the 2004 MN ACDA Outstanding Young Choral Conductor of the Year award and the VocalEssence/ACDA of Minnesota Creative Programming award for his work as director of choral activities at Hopkins High School.

Since 1985, the 40 voices of Choral Arts Ensemble have inspired audiences with performances of marvelous choral repertoire.  The group just finished their 23rd season, the 4th under artistic director Michael Culloton.  Choral Arts Ensemble is equally dedicated to the creation and performance of exciting new music as well as the sensitive presentation of masterworks from Renaissance to the 20th Century.

NIACC will host the ICDA conference from July 20 to July 24, when choral directors from across the state will convene to gather and exchange new ideas and information.  Other performers at the conference will include Dr. Laura Lane and the Nova Singers in concert as well as another concert by the Iowa All State Jazz Choir under the direction of Stephen Widenhofer on Monday, July 21, in the North Iowa Community Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.

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