Grand Chorus
Abby Musgrove, Director
The Grand Chorus, under the direction of Dr. Abby Musgrove, is the largest choral ensemble at Western Michigan University, involving approximately 180 students. Membership is primarily from the four major vocal ensembles—University Chorale, Anima, Amphion, and Campus Choir—although other interested singers from the Kalamazoo and University communities may also participate.
Abby Musgrove is the chorus' 13th conductor. Previous conductors have been Harper C. Maybee, the first chairman of Western's Department of Music; Elwyn Carter; Thomas Hardie; William Appel; Mel Ivey; Thomas Kasdorf; Craig Arnold; Joe Miller; James K. Bass; Ronnie Oliver Jr; Kimberly Dunn Adams; and Amanda Quist.
The Grand Chorus has performed with the Western Michigan University Symphony Orchestra and the Kalamazoo, Battle Creek and Detroit symphonies. Major works performed include Jeanne d'Arc (Honnegger), Requiem (Verdi), Te Deum (Berlioz), Belshazzar's Feast (Walton), Messiah (Handel), L'Enfance du Christ (Berlioz), A German Requiem (Brahms), Symphony Number 9 (Beethoven), War Requiem (Britten), Hodie (Vaughan-Williams), Magnificat (Bach), King David (Honnegger), Missa Solemnis (Beethoven), Requiem (Berlioz), Symphony Number 8 (Mahler), Requiem (Mozart), Prologue to Mephistopheles (Boito), Carmina Burana (Orff), Symphony Number 2 (Mahler), and Dream of Gerontius (Elgar).