Festival of Voices | University of Montevallo

53rd Annual Festival of Voices

Middle School – September 15, 2025

High School – September 16, 2025

This festival consists of two all-state quality honors choruses comprised of high school and middle school students nominated by their choir directors, from public and private high schools throughout the State of Alabama. Students work closely with the Festival Clinicians in intense rehearsals focusing on musicianship skills, voice building, and ensemble performance. The choirs also rehearse and perform side-by-side with University of Montevallo Choirs, some of the state’s foremost collegiate choirs. Our goal is to provide students with the highest level of musical achievement through education and performance experiences. Students will experience concerts and masterclasses and will perform with seasoned professionals on traditional and exciting new choral repertoire.

Highlights for 2025 Festival of Voices

Music will be provided on-site
Features Ensemble Workshop with exciting concert performance opportunities!!
Festival of Voices Finale Concert will be held at the historic UM Palmer Auditorium

Registration

Student Registration – $45.00 (credit card only)

Registration deadline: Wednesday, August 27, 2025

**Registration is now CLOSED

2025 Festival Schedule

8:00am-8:45am Check in at Davis Hall

9:00am-12:00pm Rehearsal

12:00pm-1:15pm Lunch (on your own)

1:15pm-3:45pm Rehearsal (Rotating Spaces, TBA)

4:00pm All Performers – Report to Palmer Auditorium!

4:30pm Guest Ensembles and Festival Finale Concert!

6:00pm Depart from Campus

Festival of Voices Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to a high school senior that attends the Festival and auditions during the event. The $1,000.00 scholarship is awarded for the 2026-2027 academic year and split evenly between the Fall and Spring semesters. Auditions will be worked into the Festival schedule based on number of audition applications received. The winner is chosen and announced at the concert, which is held at the close of the festival.

Audition procedures:

Students must have a letter of recommendation from their high school choral director indicating vocal potential, work habits, and contributions to their high school choral program.
Students should prepare two (2) selections to be performed for the voice faculty. These pieces should be of contrasting style and should show the student’s musical potential. Suggested repertoire is available here.
No recorded accompaniments should be used. A qualified accompanist will be provided for the audition.
The winner of the audition is expected to enroll as a voice major at UM (either music education or performance) for the 2026-2027 school year.

Meet Your Clinicians!

2025 SATB High School Festival Clinician

Melinda Doyle is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Montevallo, where she conducts the Concert Choir and University Chorus and teaches choral conducting and methods. She holds a DMA in Choral Conducting from Louisiana State University, studying with Dr. Kenneth Fulton, with additional studies in orchestral conducting. Her past appointments include choral leadership roles at Tulane University, Florida Gulf Coast University, and various churches in Louisiana and Florida. She also directed the nationally recognized choral program at Howard W. Blake High School for the Performing Arts in Tampa. Dr. Doyle’s choirs have performed at ACDA, AMEA, and FMEA conferences and collaborated with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra, and the Florida Orchestra. Under her direction, the University of Montevallo Concert Choir has toured Europe, the UK, and France, with notable performances at King’s College Chapel, Canterbury Cathedral, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and Carnegie Hall. A sought-after guest conductor and clinician, Dr. Doyle has led honor choirs at all levels and currently serves as Past President of Alabama ACDA. She is active in several professional organizations and is the Artistic and Music Director of the Alabama Choral Society.

2025 SAB Middle School Festival Clinician

Brent Coleman is in his thirty-second year as the Director of Choral Activities of Louis Pizitz Middle School in Vestavia Hills. He received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Auburn University. Mr. Coleman’s choirs have consistently been awarded superior ratings at the District, State and National level festivals during his tenure. The Pizitz Girls’ Choir has performed at the Southern Regional ACDA conference in 2006 in Charleston, West Virginia and in 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. In 2001, 2005 and 2020, the Pizitz Girls’ Choir was selected to perform for the Alabama Music Educator’s Conference. Mr. Coleman also serves as a Music Associate of Ensembles at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Homewood, AL. Mr. Coleman leads the Middle School choir, the High School Chapel Ensemble, Sanctuary Ensemble and assists with the High School Chapel Choir and Adult Choir. Mr. Coleman is a member of ACDA, NAfME, AMEA, and AVA.