NCCO Webinars

Why Virtual Choirs

Philosophies & Pedagogies of Virtual Ensembles

Starting on March 21, 2010, choral music lovers around the world could hear Eric Whiteacre’s popular Lux Aurumque in a new way: as sung by virtual choir. This robust ensemble, made of 185 voices and hailing from twelve different countries, had never rehearsed or even met in the traditional sense of the word. Indeed, each singer had learned and performed their part individually and send the recording to an engineer who merged 243 individual tracks to make the recording that now boasts more than 6.5 million views. In this webinar, panelists challenge assumptions about the value and worth of virtual ensembles for our students. They also explore the impacts on teaching, the topics we might choose to emphasize, and the ways we can welcome students into the new year with solid pedagogical foundations.