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Special Guests

The Virginia Wesleyan University Choirs have a long tradition of high quality performances, including performances across the Eastern seaboard, Carnegie Hall, and will be performing in Florence and Verona, Italy in June 2019. The choirs perform a variety of music from all styles and genres, as well as several world premieres by composers such as Timothy Takach, Paul Carey, and Andrew Maxfield. Come join the Choirs and find your home at Virginia Wesleyan!

Dr. Bryson Mortensen is Assistant Professor of Music, Co-Chair of the Music Department, and Director of Choral Studies at Virginia Wesleyan University, where he conducts three choirs and teaches courses in Music Education and Music History. Dr. Mortensen has received a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Brigham Young University and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting and Performance Literature from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Previous to his time at Virginia Wesleyan University, Dr. Mortensen was the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wisconsin-Rock County, Artistic Director of the Festival Choir of Madison, and Chorus Master of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra.

Dr. Mortensen has performed as a vocalist with professional and semi-professional choruses and has performed as soloist in a variety of oratorios - including Handel’s Messiah, a variety of J.S. Bach Cantatas, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, and Carissimi’s Jepthe.

Dr. Mortensen is a sought after guest-conductor for festival choruses and district choruses across the country. Most recently, Dr. Mortensen has conducted the Young Singers Project of the Virginia Chorale, which has been a subject of the recent PBS Documentary #youngsingersproject (June 2018) and the Emmy-Nominated feature on the arts series, “Curate.” Dr. Mortensen had his debut conducting engagement at Carnegie Hall with MidAmerica Productions, where he conducted a festival chorus of over 125 singers and orchestra in W.A. Mozart’s Missa Solemnis in C and has been invited to conduct Dan Forrest’s Lux:The Dawn from on High in Florence, Italy in June 2019.

Dr. Mortensen believes in the power of choral music to give us the opportunity to explore the human experience through the eyes of both poet and composer and to be able to change the lives of both singer and audience for the better.

Venue: Seventh Street Christian Church

Seventh Street Christian Church has a long rich history in Richmond. It began as Sycamore Christian Church in the 1830’s, as a direct result of Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) founders, Thomas and Alexander Campbell’s. Eventually, the congregation raised money to purchase land and build a church at Seventh and Grace streets. Officially in the new church on July 14, 1872, the congregation changed its name to Seventh Street Christian Church and worshiped there until September 29, 1946. Church growth forced them to build and relocate to the current location at Malvern & Grove where we’ve been since September 1950. (More info here about how GreenSpring came to be resident organization- more info about sanctuary)

About the Virginia Choristers

GreenSpring Virginia Choristers offers different levels of inspirational choral programs for youth ages 6-17. Growing from a single choir to seven levels of choirs, the GreenSpring Virginia Choristers has gained national acclaim since its inception in 2007. Musical selections include classical and contemporary works, and explore a variety of cultures, languages, and musical styles. Singers come from diverse economic, religious, and cultural backgrounds, which creates a rich environment for learning teamwork and collaboration. GreenSpring believes singing is one of humanity's most organic and natural forms of self-expression, and welcomes any child with an ear for music and a love of singing to join!

Touring Choir performances at national and international venues include choral festivals in Puerto Rico, Vienna and Salzburg (Austria), the International Festival of Choirs in Charleston, South Carolina, Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the White House, the U.S. State Department and tours in Ireland, Canada and Wales. Collaboration with other ensembles includes symphony choruses, community choirs, and satellite choirs via partnerships with youth organizations throughout the region.