Music
CWU Fall Choral Classic
About the Choral and Vocal Jazz Festival
Nov. 19-20, 2026This is a non-competitive festival, designed to embrace choirs where they are and help guide them to the next level of excellence. We know how early it is in the year, and hope this festival provides encouragement to get out of the starting blocks quickly, while motivating singers to work hard for a successful school year.
Perform in CWU's excellent Hertz Concert Hall in the Jerilyn S. Mcintyre Music Building.
Each day can accommodate 12-14 choirs. All registered choirs are expected to arrive and be seated by 8:15a.m. and remain for the duration of the festival, which ends with a one hour showcase final concert and awards ceremony concluding by 6:00 p.m. Workshops and other interactive experiences enhance the day.
Registration is for Concert Choirs - if you have a Jazz Choir who would like a clinic with Prof. Singh, these additional experience slots are available on the morning of Thursday, Nov. 19 ONLY.
The festival includes watching performances by peer groups with CWU Choral Faculty working with the performing choirs onstage, a performance clinic with a highly experienced clinician/judge, workshops lead by CWU students on choral leadership, and performances from five CWU choral ensembles, including CWU’s Vocal Jazz One and the CWU Chamber Choir, both known internationally!
2025 Adjudicators/Clinicians (2026 TBA)
Dr. Derrick Fox, Michigan State University
Judith Harrington, Tacoma Youth Chorus
Registration
- $400.00 for Concert Choirs (subject to change for 2026)
- $150.00 for a Vocal Jazz Clinic (in addition to a Concert Choir Registration)
- First come, first served!
- Limit of one concert and one vocal jazz ensemble per school
- Registration (opens August 1, 2026 8:00 a.m.)
- Registration Link
Concert Choir Registration Includes
- Warm-up, performance, on-stage clinic, private clinic for your ensemble.
- Onstage clinics with CWU Choral Faculty: Dr. Nicole Lamartine, Prof. Vijay Singh, and Dr. Scott Peterson.
- Private clinic with one of two esteemed adjudicators including Dr. Derrick Fox
- Video and Audio files of your performance and Video of your clinic.
- Adjudication: audio and written comments.
- Group workshops and singing.
- CWU Admissions information and possible campus tour.
- Informances from CWU choral ensembles (Chamber Choir, Chorale, Wildcatters, Vox Divina, Vocal Jazz 1), students, and faculty.
Vocal Jazz Choir Clinics - New for 2025
Thursday, Nov. 13 Morning only
- Set up includes 18 mics, rhythm section (bass amp, drum set with cymbals, piano) and monitors
- 25 minute private clinic
- This is an additional registration
Vocal Jazz Adjudicator: Prof. Vijay Singh
Schedule
Concert Choirs have 20 minutes on stage. Choirs are encouraged to plan 10-15 minutes of music, as this allows one of the CWU Choral faculty to spend about 10 minutes on stage with the group. Directly following is a 20 minute clinic in another room with one of our esteemed clinicians.
Vocal Jazz groups (if registered for additional clinic) will have a 20-minute private clinic with Vijay Singh on Nov. 19.
****If you are bringing your concert choir AND a vocal jazz ensemble for clinic, you MUST choose Nov. 19 for your festival attendance.
Questions and Contact
Email Dr. Nicole Lamatrine, Director of choirs.
CWU Fall Choral Classic Festival
400 E University Way, Mailstop 7458
Ellensburg, WA 98926-7458
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