Combined choirs to give concert of sacred music

Published 1:04 am Saturday, March 5, 2011

Carol Krueger

The combined choirs of Washington’s First Baptist Church, First United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church and First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) present a concert of sacred music at 4 p.m. Sunday at First Baptist Church.

The concert, free and open to the public, culminates a weekend-long choral workshop led by Carol Krueger, director of choral activities at Emporia State University in Kansas, where she teaches conducting and choral methods. She also serves as the director of the A Cappella Choir, Community Choir and Chamber Singers.

The workshop is made possible through the Roberson-Bagwell Endowment Fund of First Christian Church.

“We’re covering the gamut,” said the Rev. Dr. Greg Barmer, minister of music at First Baptist Church, on Friday. “We’re going to have some of it all.”

The concert will feature music by George Frideric Handel to a gospel take on “Standing on the Promises” to hymns such as “Beneath the Cross of Jesus,” Barmer said. Handel is renowned for his work “Messiah.”

Krueger will direct the combined choirs, Barmer noted.

A native of Wisconsin, Krueger received her bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and an M.M. and D.M.A. in choral conducting from the University of Miami.

Krueger, an  active clinician, adjudicator and guest conductor, most recently conducted festivals and honor choirs at the collegiate, high-school and middle-school levels in North Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Washington, Georgia, South Carolina, Kansas and North Dakota. She served as guest conductor of Vivaldi’s “Gloria” in Carnegie Hall (2010), the Adult Chancel Choir and Chamber Singers at Montreat Presbyterian Association of Musicians Conference (June 2010) and multiple performances of Epcot’s Candlelight Processional and Massed Choir Program (2005).

Krueger has presented interest sessions at the American Choral Directors National Convention in New York, the OAKE (Kodaly) National Convention in Charlotte, the ACDA Southern Division Conventions in Nashville and Louisville and the Southern Division MENC Convention in Charleston as well as interest sessions or workshops in California, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Tennessee, North Dakota, Massachusetts, Maine, Virginia, Georgia, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Florida, Alabama and South Carolina.

Krueger is widely recognized for her work with music literacy. Oxford University Press publishes her book, “Progressive Sight Singing.”