Choir Festivals
We have multiple ways you can come to campus to grow as a singer with our faculty and guest artists. Learn more about Singers in the Middle Choral Festival for developing middle school vocalists and Sound Summit: A Choral Festival for High School Choirs with memorable performances and special guest artists.
See Singers in the Middle details
See Sound Summit details
Singers in the Middle
February 24, 2026 in UNC Campus Commons
Middle school singers, come and work with guest clinicians to hone your voice development as you prepare for a culminating evening concert!
Registration
Registration Fee: $25 per student (includes t-shirt)
Registration Deadline: February 1
Contact
Dr. Clelyn Chapin
Clelyn.Chapin@unco.edu
For registration questions, email Jolie.GonzalezMasmela@unco.edu.
Singers in the Middle Schedule
9:00am
Arrive and Check-in
9:30am
Rehearsal Session 1
10:45am
Break
11:00am
Rehearsal Session 2
12:15pm
Lunch
1:45pm
Rehearsal Session 3
Featuring a mini concert by UNC Glee
3:30pm
Snack Break
4:00pm
Concert Run-through
5:00pm
Change into concert attire
6:00-7:00pm
Concert
Students released to parents directly from concert
Singers in the Middle Details
Music
Please purchase the music below for the festival.
Singers in the Middle Treble Selections:
Singers in the Middle Tenor Bass Selections:
Student Information
Concert Attire for Students
Black dress pants/slacks (no denim), black dress shoes, black socks on bottom. All students wil wear the In the Middle t-shirt on top.
Students Should Bring:
- Black binder or choral folder
- Pencil
- Sack lunch
Teacher Information
Planning Ahead
- If you plan to bring more than 10 students, please invite a parent chaperone as well.
- It is up to the students/teachers of each school to have a plan for lunch/dinner. There are a few places to eat nearby or students may bring a sack lunch. Quite a few teachers have also ordered pizza for students in the past which is both convenient and cheap.
- Snacks will be provided by UNC.
- Teachers are encouraged to be in the room during rehearsal times so clinicians can focus on the music instead of behavior, but feel free to bring a laptop and get some work done.
2026 Singers in the Middle Clinicians
William Ecker
William Ecker is in his 17th year teaching choir around the state of Colorado, most
recently at Timnath Middle High School where he is currently starting a new choir
program. Prior to Timnath, Mr. Ecker’s choirs have consistently received the highest
ratings at CHSAA competitions across the state through his work at Fort Collins High
School. His students were frequently accepted to the Colorado All-State Choir record
high numbers.
Mr. Ecker completed his Bachelors of Music Education Degree with a Vocal emphasis
from the University of Northern Colorado in 2008 and completed his master's in choral
conducting in 2016 at the University of Northern Colorado under Dr. Galen Darrough
and Dr. Jill Burgett.
Prior to teaching at Fort Collins High School, Mr. Ecker held a music position at
Weld Central Middle School, building the program from 35 students to 225 over 6 years.
In 2013, he became a founding board member of the Colorado Middle School All-State
Choir. William Ecker has served many roles in the Colorado All-State Choirs, namely
as co-chair of the Colorado Middle School All State Board as well as Onsite coordinator
for both the High school and Middle School All state Choirs for many years.
Phil Drozda
Phil Drozda is proud to have been a public-school music educator for the past seventeen
years, and is presently the Director of Choirs at Overland High School in the Cherry
Creek School District. In his current role, he conducts five choirs at a diverse,
comprehensive high school in Aurora, CO. Mr. Drozda holds a Master of Music degree
in music education from the University of Northern Colorado and a Bachelor of Music
Education degree from the University of Colorado-Boulder.
Prior to his appointment at Overland, he was the choir director at Prairie Middle
School from 2011-2019. During his tenure at Prairie, Mr. Drozda's choirs gained a
reputation for musical quality and passionate, joyful performance, and they have been
invited to perform at the Colorado Music Educators Association Clinic and Conference
three times. He also taught middle school choir at Mesa Middle School in Castle Rock,
CO, and Northglenn Middle School in the Adams 12 School District. Though he now primarily
works with high school singers, Mr. Drozda is a middle school teacher at heart. He
seeks to be a strong advocate for middle level choral music, and he knows that middle
school-aged students are capable of incredible things!
Sound Summit: A Choral Festival for High School Choirs
February 27-28, 2026 in UNC Campus Commons
Join us for an unforgettable day of music-making! You'll come together with other young voices from across the region for a day of performance, learning and inspiration. Each participating choir gets to perform in the state-of-the-art Campus Commons Performance Hall, receive coaching from our adjudicators and a take home a professional video recording of their performance. Teachers may nominate one student from each school to perform in a master class with UNC voice faculty.
This year's festival features special guest Apollo 5, internationally acclaimed vocal ensemble. Students will get a chance to hear this incredible group in action and learn about their process for making amazing music.
Adjudicators: Dr. Jill Burgett, Dr. Clelyn Chapin, Prof. Jeff Talley
Awards: Non-auditioned, Auditioned Tenor/Bass, Auditioned SATB, Auditioned Treble
Registration
Cost: $250 per choir
Open to high school and advanced middle school choral ensembles. Space is limited—early
registration is encouraged!
Contact
Dr. Clelyn Chapin
Clelyn.Chapin@unco.edu
For registration questions, email Jolie.GonzalezMasmela@unco.edu.
Sound Summit Schedule
February 27 Schedule
- 8am Registration Opens
- 9am-12pm Choir Performances
- 12pm Lunch
- 1-2pm Apollo 5 & Vocal Master Class
- 3:30pm Snack Break
- 2-5pm Choir Performances
- 6:30-7:15pm Award Ceremony
February 28 Schedule
- 10am Registration Opens
- 10:30am-12:30pm Choir Performances
- 12:30pm Lunch
- 1:30-2:30pm Apollo 5 & Vocal Master Class
- 2:30-4:30pm Choir Performances
- 5-5:30pm Award Ceremony
March 1 Schedule
- 2pm Apollo 5 Concert
