The University of Louisville Cardinal Singers

History

The Cardinal Singers were founded in 1970 under the name University Singers by the late William C. Lathon, former University of Louisville professor in the Schools of Music and Education, as an outreach organization for the University of Louisville. In 1980 they were appointed by then Governor John Y. Brown, Jr. as Commonwealth of Kentucky “ambassadors of good will.” Mr. Lathon conducted the ensemble until 1991, when Shirley Wilkinson, long-time Jefferson County Public Schools (Kentucky) choral director, took over the leadership of the Singers. Dr. Kent Hatteberg began conducting the ensemble in 1997, and the name was changed to “Cardinal Singers” in 1998 to include the school's mascot. The ensemble rehearses twice weekly, and students receive a half credit for participation.

The outreach mission of the Cardinal Singers continues as a focus today, and the Singers have made a number of appearances nationally and internationally participating in competitions, seminars, and benefits.

Performances, Awards, and Events

• NCCO National Convention 2011
• 9th International Choir Days Mainhausen, Germany 2011
  • First Prize in jazz choirs category
  • Men of Cardinal Singers, First Prize in male choir category
  • Second Prize in mixed choirs category
• 12th International Chamber Choir Compeition - Marktoberdorf, Germany 2011
  • Second Prize
  • Gustave Charlier-Anna Maroye-prize for the best interpretation of a religious choral work
• 6th Harmonie-Festival- Lindenholzhausen, Germany 2011
  • First Prize in mixed choir category
  • Women of Cardinal Singers, Second Prize in female chamber choir category
  • Men of Cardinal Singers, Third Prize in male chamber choir category
• INTERKULTUR (World Choir Games) 2010
  • First Prize in Mixed Choirs
  • Second Place for MUSICA MUNDI World Ranking List Top 1.000
• 1st Grand Prix of Choral Music - Busan, South Korea 2009
  • First Prize in Sacred Competition
  • First Prize in Mixed Chamber Choir Competition
• ACDA Southern Division Headliner Concert - March 2009
• Voices of the Baltics Conference - Seminar Choir - Tallinn, Estonia 2007
• Tolosa Choral Contest - Tolosa, Spain 2006
  • Women of Cardinal Singers, Third Prize in Profane Category
  • Women of Cardinal Singers, Third Prize in Sacred Category
  • Cardinal Singers, Third Prize in Folklore Category
• 7th World Symposium on Choral Music – Kyoto, Japan 2005
• 5th Harmonie-Festival– Lindenholzhausen, Germany 2005
  • First Prize in the mixed chamber choir category
  • Preis des Bundestagspräsidenten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland – for the highest score of all choirs.
  • Award for outstanding interpretation of world premier: Laudate pueri, Dominum by Vitautas Miškinis.
• 9th International Chamber Choir Competition– Marktoberdorf, Germany 2005.
  • Second Prize
  • Conductors prize for the best interpretation of a contemporary choral work
• International Conducting Seminar Choir – Marktoberdorf, Germany 2005
• International Choir Olympics – Bremen, Germany 2004
  • First Prize Spiritual/Gospel Category (category winners)
  • First Prize Chamber Choir Category (category winners)
  • Fourth Prize Musica Contemporanea Category
• Third International Johannes Brahms Choral Competition – Wernigerode, Germany 2003
  • Gold Diploma, Third Prize in Chamber Choir Category
  • Gold Diploma, Category winners in Spiritual/Gospel Category

Local Events

Locally, the Cardinal Singers perform for a variety of community events on and off campus, ranging from holiday concerts at the Louisville Speed Art Museum and St Martin of Tours Catholic Church for the WUOL Holiday Concert to singing the national anthem at the Louisville Cardinals basketball games. In February 2004 the Cardinal Singers were selected to perform at the American Choral Directors Association Southern Division Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. In July 2005 they gave a concert/demonstration for the Kentucky Choral Directors Association Summer Symposium and sang for the conducting session led by Anton Armstrong. In February 2006, the Cardinal Singers performed at the Kentucky Music Educators Association Conference and received wide acclaim.

External links

1. Named link: University of Louisville’s School of Music
2. Named link: International Federation of Choral Music
3. Named link: Kentucky Music Educators Association
4. Named link: American Choral Directors Association

• YouTube video of the University of Louisville Cardinal Singers singing "O Lux Beata Trinitas" by Ko Matsushita at the 12th International Chamber Choir Competition in Marktoberdorf, Germany (2011): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSp14ViC0pk