Car- and shower-singers: It’s your time to take the stage.

The Missouri State University Choral Union is recruiting alumni, faculty, staff and community members to join this town and gown choir.

Recently, the group was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall, one of the eminent performance halls in New York City. The performance will take place in June 2023.

It is the first time this group has been invited for such an esteemed opportunity, said Director Dr. Erin Plisco.

“We’ll have our choir and an orchestra, and a world-class soprano soloist,” Plisco said. “We will have large forces on that stage, which will be very exciting.”

Choral Union members must register for the Carnegie Hall experience by Oct. 1.

“This will be my fifth time singing in Carnegie Hall and this time under the amazing direction of Dr. Erin Plisco — extremely talented conductor and wonderful friend,” alum Rick Uffman, and community participant, said.

Uffman began performing with MSU’s choral programs as a freshman in 1969.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment to take a university-sponsored community choir to Carnegie Hall.”

How to join

The Choral Union has grown from about 40 members in 2018 to more than 90 in 2022.

Members can join through a welcoming and stress-free audition process, Plisco said.

“The auditions are just a way for me to get to know the singers and figure out where their voices will be most comfortable,” she added. “We have folks who participate in this ensemble who have never sung in a choir in their lives. Once they come and sing with us, they have a great time and learn a lot.”

Contact ErinPlisco@MissouriState.edu to join.

Zach Reece, MSU graduate student, appreciates the consistency of this choir as he’s transitioned from undergraduate student to community member and back to graduate student.

“It has always been a resource to keep singing no matter the outside circumstances,” Reece said. “Choral Union is Missouri State’s most diverse choir in multiple ways — nationality, age, musical background, and the list goes on. It’s a great opportunity to be a part of the melting pot in a very genuine way, which communal singing facilitates.”

Other performances

The Missouri State Choral Union rehearses weekly and performs three to four times each year.

“We have a lot of other exciting music that we’re working on,” Plisco said.