Mansfield University Home PageGold Medal Performances on YouTube
July 29, 2008
MANSFIELD, PA— The gold medal winning performances of the Mansfield University Concert Choir and the Mansfieldians at the World Choir Games in Graz, Austria earlier this month were captured on video and are now available on YouTube.
The Concert Choir, under the direction of Peggy Dettwiler, took the top prize in the spiritual and gospel open category.
The Mansfieldians, a select 12-member ensemble of Concert Choir members directed by Sheryl Monkelien, won the first place in the jazz vocal ensemble a cappella category.
The World Choir Games, held July 9-19, brought together more than 20,000 singers in 441 choirs from 93 countries.
Dettwiler and Monkelien are thrilled that the YouTube videos are available so that people can get an idea of what it was like to be there.
“The Concert Choir never performed better,” Dettwiler said. “When we left the stage after our Mixed Youth Choir competition performance, we knew we had reached a ‘mountaintop artistic experience.’ This ‘aesthetic high’ was what we had strived for. The tears flowed freely as we hugged each other. Then to have our performances in other competitive rounds ranked at the top by three panels of judges from around the world was the frosting on the cake. None of us will forget the announcement of the championship, when the Olympic fanfare was played, the Stars & Stripes was raised, and we were able to sing the U.S. National Anthem among thousands of people in the audience. It just doesn’t get any better than this.”
“The Mansfieldians are all members of Concert Choir, so they had an additional three performances to put out there for the panel of judges,” Monkelien said. “Our competition round was the final performance and the students were drained. I don’t know where they found their energy to put forth such an amazing performance, but they were spectacular. The awards ceremony was an experience none of us will forget. The presentation of the gold medal and the championship trophy, watching the American flag being raised over the crowd while singing the National Anthem were all amazing. The students hard work and focus were rewarded and well deserved. I have never been more proud.”
The Concert Choir also earned a gold diploma in the mixed youth choir category, finishing second and missing the gold medal by less than a point.
Overall, the Mansfield groups earned six gold medals in both qualifying and final rounds.
To view the World Choir Games videos, and other Mansfield University video and photo montages, go to youtube.com/mansfielduniversity
