This month, UW-Whitewater will get a taste of all different types of voices and music.

On Sunday, three choral groups will showcase what they’ve been practicing this semester.

Performing at the concert will be the Meistersingers, a men’s choir directed by Dr. Brian Leeper, the Women’s Chorale directed by Dr. Robert Gehrenbeck, and the Concert Choir, also directed by Gehrenbeck.

The department has been combining concerts for years, partially due to limited rehearsal time. The groups have been practicing for about two hours per week since the semester started.

“The choirs only meet twice a week, so they don’t have time to prepare a full length concert by November,” Gehrenbeck said.

The Meistersingers will be memorizing all their pieces, adding to the workload in a limited amount of time.

Morgan Butler, a member of the Meistersingers choir, is eagar to perform and confident about the groups’s efforts.

“We practice very passionately in the Meistersingers,” Butler said. “We are still smoothing out small wrinkles, but they are just that – small.”

Leeper agrees that all the men’s work will surely pay off.

“Meistersingers will definitely be ready to perform and they are excited about having the campus hear them for the first time this year,” Leeper said.

Gehrenbeck feels just as prepared with his ensembles.

“There are little things that we are working on of course, but I feel pretty confident,” Gehrenbeck said.

The groups will all be performing a wide-range of music; from spirituals to drinking songs to pieces from the romantic period.

“I want to have the singers experience as many different styles as possible over the course of the year,” Leeper said.

The Concert Choir will also perform assorted selections, but with a common topic.

“The three pieces are related, even though they’re very different,” Gehrenbeck said.

One is a varied, difficult piece by Franz Schubert, a song about the Exodus, which is a story used in many other spirituals because of its relevance to slavery. This motif of slavery is woven through all the pieces, including an African-American spiritual and a Tanzanian biblical song.

The Women’s Chorale also has a variety of music. One of the songs is a pirate story told by a modern feminist writer. Along with this, the women will be performing a Latin piece from the 17th century and a tango from Argentina.

The pieces were chosen to expand musical knowledge for the students.

“I always try to choose literature that will challenge the singers,” Leeper said.

Rachel Stine, an alto in the Concert Choir, believes the choir will be ready for the concert despite its difficult literature. Stine said she is excited about performing the three pieces and about the concert in general.

“I am looking forward to the fact that my family will be there,” Stine said.

This is important to many of the members of the choirs. It is another reason for the combined concert. Many singers are involved in more than one choir.

“It is easier for the parents that make the trip to Whitewater to see their sons or daughters perform,” Leeper said.

The choirs do not require auditions to participate and that has increased involvement, according to Gehrenbeck.

“Having auditions would scare people away,” Gehrenbeck said.

Butler is especially enthusiastic about performing with his ensemble, adding that it has been seven years since he has sung in a concert.

“The simple act of standing shoulder to shoulder with fellow compatriots on the risers of destiny and pouring forth, with hearts of glory, our melodies and harmonies is enough to get me giddy,” Butler said.

Students and community members are welcome to attend the free concert at 3 p.m. on Nov. 13 at the Light Recital Hall located in the Center of the Arts.