NEW FACE, NEW NAME - With a new name and new leadership, American Festival Chorus (formerly Northern Utah Choral Society) has big plans for their inaugural season. In addition to masterworks by Mozart and Beethoven, plans include professional recording opportunities.

Under the baton of USU's music department head, Craig Jessop, Mozart's Requiem (November) and Beethoven's Choral Fantasy (April) will round out the season. Both will involve professional orchestras featuring the Fry Street Quartet as well as other music department faculty.

-(From our original website)

• November 11 - Veterans Day Recognition Concert, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• November 15 - Mozart Requiem, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• January 31 - Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• March 28 - Carmina Burana, Kent Concert Hall, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• April 25 - Beethoven 9th Symphony, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• May 25 -  Memorial Day Concert Series, Riverwoods Conference Center, Logan, UT
• May 25 - Memorial Day Concert Series, featuring Donny Osmond, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• July 1-3 - An American Tribute featuring Maureen McGovern, Daniel Beck, and Jessie Clark Funk, Logan, UT; Idaho Falls, ID; Sun Valley, ID
• August 11 - Inauguration of Governor Gary R. Herbert, Utah State Capitol Rotunda, SLC, UT (Televised)

The chorus was invited to participate in the swearing-in ceremony of Gov. Gary R. Herbert in August 2009.  We performed "American the Beautiful," "Utah We Love Thee" (state song), and "God Bless America."

It was a great honor to get invited... I got a call from Mike Deaver from the governor's office about a month ago, inviting us.  He said that both Gov. Huntsman and the new governor-to-be, Herbert, had requested us by name, so how could we say no.

 - Craig Jessop

In 2009 the AFC was invited to the Utah State Capitol to provide music for the transition in state governor from Jon Huntsman Jr. to Gary Herbert as Jon had accepted the US Ambassadorship to China.  My wife Deborah and I were members of the choir at the time and we both took the day off from work to go to Salt Lake with the choir.  The sound of the choir filled the rotunda of the capitol in a magical way and I remember a security guard mentioning to us after we finished that the AFC was incredible[...].  It was indeed a memorable day!

 - T. McGreggor

• September 11 - 9/11 Commemoration
• November 7 - The Choral Music of John Rutter, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• November 11 - A Veterans Day Tribute, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• December 18-19 - A Yuletide Festival, featuring Jessie Clark Funk, Nathan Osmond, The Westminster Bell Choir, and Full Circle Dance Company
• January, 30 - American Choral Festival, Dahle Performing Arts Center, Dayton, ID
• February 13 - Choral Music is for Lovers, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• March 27 - Franz Joseph Haydn The Creation, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• May 6 - Smithfield Health Days, Scholarship Fundraiser Concert, Sky View High School, Smithfield, UT
• June 30 - Uniting the Community Through Culture, A Program of Cache Community Connections, Logan Tabernacle
• July 1-2 - An American Salute featuring Peter Cetera, Logan, Utah and Sun Valley, ID
• August 3,4 - Verdi Requiem with the Utah Festival Opera Orchestra, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT

Christmas from the Ellen Eccles Theatre

This season marked the beginning of our longest-running, and perhaps most well-known concert series: Christmas from the Ellen Eccles Theatre. Tickets sold so quickly that an extra performance was added (for a total of 3). This trend would continue with additional performances being added over the years, including performances outside of Cache Valley. This series, with generous support from Cache Valley Bank, has included a variety of spectacular guest artists, dancers, children's choirs, and the enchanting Westminster Bell Choir.

• October 9 - The Choral Music of Mack Wilbert with special guest Mack Wilberg, Music Director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
• November 11 - A Veterans Day Tribute Concert, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• December 4 - Christmas from the Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• March 24 - Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Caine Performance Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• July 1 - Freedom Fire, Romney Stadium, Logan, UT
• July 3 - An American Salute with Maureen McGovern, Sun Valley Pavilion, Sun Valley, ID
• July 30 - Mozart Grand Mass in C Minor, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• August 2-3 - Mozart Requiem, AFC with Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT

• September 11 - The 9/11 Commemoration Program, 10th Anniversary Concert, Logan Tabernacle
• October 8 - Celebrate! - A Night of Gospel Music, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• November 11 - A Veterans Day Memorial, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• November 11,12 - Benjamin Britten War Requiem, Kent Concert Hall and Cathedral of the Madeleine, SLC, UT
• November 25 - Flash Mob - "Ding Dong Merrily on High," Cache Valley Mall
• December 2-3 - Christmas from the Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• February 25 - Journey to the Stars  - Concert for the College of Engineering, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• April 2 - Utah State University Military Memorial Ceremony
• April 6 - Bach St. John Passion, Good Friday Service, St John’s Episcopal Church, Logan, UT
• April 21 - Handel’s Messiah, Kent Concert Hall, USU
• June 30 - It’s a Grand Night for Singing, with Alyson Cambridge, Sun Valley Pavilion, Sun Valley, ID
• July 3 - Freedom First - Romney Stadium, Logan, UT
• August 8 - Bach St. Matthew Passion, AFC with Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT

Craig taught us a profoundly deep respect for other’s faith[...] I was skeptical at first, my Mother warned me about gospel music……. Guest conductor Chantel Wright showed up, and we were wondering what on earth we were in for.  Within 20 minutes she had totally won our hearts and admiration.  She said, a gift not well given, is not a gift. Boy, that was humbling.  Then, she said, for the song Praise His Holy Name, we would need to be ready to go back and repeat any section, where ever she felt like going back to, and we will just keep it going.  She said, once we get to the end, we just can’t stop right there, someone might be in the middle of getting saved!  And we just can’t stop, we’ll have to keep going[...]  And that is what we did.  It went off without a hitch, and was just totally an awesome experience I will remember the rest of my life[....]  After the concert was over, and we were hoofing it back to the parking lot, I found myself walking next to Kevin Olson, our piano accompanist.  He confided with me, that he was quite petrified at the thought of Chantel jumping around to different sections of the score, without any warning or pre-planning, but Kevin did it flawlessly!  It was truly amazing, and a night I will always remember.  I learned some life changing lessons in humility, and faith, from Chantel and our friends from the Salt Lake Calvary Baptist Church, that were there performing with us.

-B. Thompson

• September 3 - We Walk Among Heroes, Canyon Road Memorial, River Hollow Park, Logan, UT
• September 21 - Music for a Royal Occasion, featuring Nancy Peery Marriott and Dr. Clay Christiansen, Tabernacle organist, Kent Concert Hall, USU
• October 19 - Intermountain Bioneers 7th Annual Evening at the Tabernacle, AFC guest
• November 11 - A Veterans Day Memorial, featuring Rex Thompson, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• December 7,8 - Christmas from the Ellen Eccles Theatre with Special Guests Jenny Oaks Baker and Alexandria Sharpe, Westminster Bell Choir
• March 30 - Bach Mass in B Minor, Caine Performance Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• April 9 - United by the Land - A Celebration of the College of Agriculture, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• April 20 - The Sacred Choral Music of Robert Cundick, The Redeemer, The Song of Nephi, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• June 29 - A Salute to Survivors
• July 3 - Freedom Fire, The Music of ABBA with Arrival from Sweden, Romney Stadium, USU
• July 7 - The Music of ABBA with Arrival from Sweden
• August 6, 7 - Beethoven Missa solemnis, Op. 123 - AFC with Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan and Cathedral of the Madeleine, SLC, UT

• August 26 - Huntsman Hall Groundbreaking, Utah State University Campus
• October 26 - Family Pops Concert, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• November 11 -  A Veterans Day Memorial featuring Hoyt Kelley, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• December 6, 7 - Christmas from the Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• February 15 - Encore - Celebrating an Evening of Gospel Music, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• March 28 - Brahms Requiem - Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• July 2 - Freedom First - Romney Stadium, Logan, UT
• August 6 - Best of Beethoven, AFC with Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT

• October 10 - Oz and Beyond: A Family Pops Concert, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• November 11 - A Veterans Day Memorial featuring Congressman Chris Stewart, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• December 5, 6 - Christmas from the Ellen Eccles Theatre with Kurt Bestor and Nathan Pacheco, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• March 27 - Francis Poulenc Gloria - Gabriel Faure Requiem, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• April 3 - Bach St. John Passion, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• April 18 - Dreamers and Heroes Concert - An Inclusive Family Pops Concert for people of all abilities, Kent Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• June 20 -  An American Celebration with the USU Summer Alumni Band, Sun Valley Pavilion, Sun Valley, ID
• July 1 - Utah Showcase - 78th Episcopal General Convention, Salt Lake Tabernacle, SLC, UT
• August 5 - Carmina Burana, AFC with Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT

During the [...] run-up to the Christmas concert of 2015, my beloved grandfather, who was a lifelong patron of the arts and attended nearly every single one of the American Festival Chorus' performances, suffered a heart attack, fell into a coma[....]  When he passed away mere hours before opening night, I felt so much peace and strength.  I sang that night the words: "The bells of Christmas are ringing for Jesus the Savior is born; and Choirs of Angels are singing to welcome the glorious morn!"  I knew Grandpa was singing with us in those choirs of angels, and I know he is front and center at every performance since.  American Festival Chorus, the beautiful friendship there, and music was something that helped me pull through my grief and find peace, and will always be something that completes me and feeds my soul.

-L. Sheffer

• October 10 -  Country Roads - Family Pops Concert, Special Guest Cold Creek Bluegrass Band, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• October 17 - Country Roads - Family Pops Concert at the Grand Opening of the Dejoria Center, Kamas, UT
• November 11 - A Veterans Day Memorial, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• December 3-5 - Christmas from the Ellen Eccles Theatre, Special Guests Jenny Oaks Baker, Jenny Jordan Frogley and Kurt Bestor, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• January 17, 2016 - Logan City’s Sesquicentennial Celebration, Logan Tabernacle
• March 16 - Grand Opening of the Jon M. Huntsman Hall on Utah State University Campus, Logan, UT
• March 25 - Bach St. Matthew Passion, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• March 26 - Bach St. Matthew Passion, Cathedral of the Madeleine, Salt Lake City, UT
• April 16 - An Evening with Jay Richards - Cache Valley’s Own, Special Guest, George Dyer, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• August 2 - Bach Mass in B Minor, AFC with Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• August 18 - Mahler, Symphony No. 3 in D Minor, Sun Valley Pavilion, Sun Valley, ID

• October 29 - Halloween Spooktacular - A Family Pops Concert, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• November 11 - A Veterans Day Memorial with Dr. Russell Hirst, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• December 2,3, 2016 - Christmas From The Ellen Eccles Theatre with Special Guest GENTRI, Logan, UT
• December 5 - Christmas with Special Guest GENTRI, Dejoria Center, Kamas, UT
• February, 11 - The Power of Love with Special Guest Brandon Lee, Benefit Concert for Cache Valley for Hope Cancer Foundation, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• March 19 -  A Night of Sacred Music - Interfaith Concert, Logan Tabernacle
• April 15 - Lux Aeterna, The Choral Music of Morten Lauridsen, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• June 24 - Singing Sergeants Reunion Grand Gala Concert, Caine Performance Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• June 25 - American Festival Chorus & the USU Alumni Band, USU Quad, Logan, UT
• July 2 - Hyrum City Star Spangled Patriotic Program, American Festival Chorus and the USU Alumni Band, Hyrum, UT
• August 2 - Verdi Requiem, AFC with Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• August 17 - Verdi Requiem, AFC & the Sun Valley Summer Symphony & Soloists, Sun Valley Pavilion, Sun Valley, ID

• October 18 - Grand Gala Concert, featuring Kelli O’Hara, Daines Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• November 11 - A Veterans Day Memorial, Daines Concert Hall, USU, Logan, Utah
• November 17 - The Choral Music of Morten Lauridsen - ACDA Kick-Off, Libby Gardner Hall, University of Utah, SLC, UT
• December 7-9 - Christmas with the American Festival Chorus and Orchestra with Special Guest GENTRI, Daines Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• December 11 - GENTRI with the American Festival Chorus and Orchestra, Eccles Theatre, SLC, UT
• January 13 - Ellen Eccles Silver Anniversary Celebration, American Festival Chorus a participating group, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan, UT
• February 10 - Music Has No Passport with special guest TAKE 6, Daines Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• February 11 - A Night of Sacred Music - A Concert Celebrating the Faiths of Cache Valley, Logan Tabernacle
• April 7 - Ralph Vaughan Williams Sancta Civitas, Daines Concert Hall, USU, Logan, UT
• April 8 - Madeleine Festival Opening Performance, Cathedral of the Madeleine, SLC, UT