Arts & Culture

14 UK Choir Students Named to National Honor Choir

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 20, 2018) Fourteen University of Kentucky Men’s Chorus members have been selected for the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Men’s Honor Choir, which will perform in Kansas City from Feb. 27-March 2, in conjunction with the biennial and 60th anniversary ACDA National Conference

This prestigious choir is composed of 200 high school and college age men from across the nation selected by audition. The group will perform in Helzberg Hall of the Kaufmann Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Kansas City on March 2. The choir’s featured conductor will be UK’s very own Director of Choral Activities Jefferson Johnson.

The university’s National Men’s Honor Choir members are:

  • Ben Boutell, of Louisville, Kentucky;
  • Michael Castlen, of Lexington;
  • Zack Dalton, of Waco, Kentucky;
  • Brady Ekman, of Louisville;
  • David Foster, of Marietta, Georgia;
  • Larkin Gensheimer of Lexington;
  • Kaleb Hilton, of Henderson, Kentucky;
  • Harrison Hornsby, of Springville, Alabama;
  • Joe McMullen, of Lexington;
  • Drew Pungratz, of Lexington;
  • Nick Rowan, of Louisville;
  • Kason Speir, of Lexington;
  • Charlie Starzman, of Frankfort, Kentucky; and
  • Michael Sudduth, of Frankfort.

When asked about the recognition, Johnson commented on this distinct honor and the rigorous audition process saying, “These young men are honoring the state of Kentucky, the University of Kentucky and the UK Choirs by their selection into this prestigious choir. Singers from all over the country submitted extensive audition tapes, and only 200 were selected nationally. We are very proud to have 14 members of the UK Men’s Chorus chosen to participate!”

Founded in 1959, the ACDA is a nonprofit music-education organization whose expressed purposes outline the association's dedication to the advancement of choral music. The mission of the association is to inspire excellence in choral music through education, performance, composition and advocacy.

UK School of Music is home to the UK Men’s Chorus. Currently celebrating its 100th anniversary, the school in the UK College of Fine Arts has garnered national recognition for high-caliber education in opera, choral and instrumental music performance, as well as music education, music therapy, composition, theory and music history.