Maryland Palestrina Choir
The Maryland Palestrina Choir
We specialize in the performance of choral music from the late fifteenth through early seventeenth centuries. Our group is fun and relaxed, but committed to pursuing excellent musicianship and expression. An a working group exploring the connection between poetry, song, and historical performance at UMD, we are composed of both graduate and undergraduate students, but as a “town and gown” ensemble we also have many alumni, faculty, staff, and community members. It is a primary goal of the group to foster friendship and growth across various disciplines and ages.
History
Directors
Photo by Arts Laureate
The Maryland Palestrina Choir was founded by Janet Hagelgans in 2007 as a way for University of Maryland students to share in their love of Renaissance music. It expanded to become a "town and gown" ensemble, and performed regularly at campus events from 2007-2019. After a hiatus, the group has been restarted by former and current director Kara Pleasants in the fall of 2023 when she returned to teaching at UMD.
The ensemble emphasizes the performance of early 15th through 17th century music, but has also (at times) expanded its repertoire to include a broad range of pieces from medieval to modern times. We often use themes as an access point for interpreting music, and enjoy researching and developing historic performance techniques into our singing.
The group rehearses Tuesday nights from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at UMD.
Current Director: Kara Pleasants is a University of Maryland lecturer, and has been involved with the ensemble since its first rehearsal. She has been a member of many ensembles and choirs over the past decade, including the the University Chorale and Femmes de Voix (formerly Chanson). She is also a published Jane Austen fan-fiction author and an occasional poet. She believes deeply in the transformational power of art in our everyday lives, and loves helping make poetry and music come alive through performance. You can contact her here.
Past Directors: University of Maryland alumna and Concert Choir veteran Janet Hagelgans founded the Maryland Palestrina Choir in 2007 while a Master’s candidate in Criminology & Criminal Justice. She directed the choir from 2007-2009, and again in 2013. Dr. Josh Perry-Parish directed the choir from 2009-2012 while a Master's student in choral conducting at the University of Maryland (in addition to his Doctorate in composition, also from UMD). Samantha Scheff directed the choir from 2016-2017. And Jack Perdue directed the choir from 2017-2018.