Unum Vox

A high school honors choir serving East Central Minnesota.

Our Mission: To support and enhance high school choirs throughout region 7E; through performance, education, and collaboration Unum Vox performs choral works at a high artistic level.  

Unum Vox (translated as "One Voice" and pronounced "oonoom vocks") is designed to provide a weekly choral experience that enriches the typical high school choir experience by allowing students from a variety of schools to collaborated toward common musical goals.  The ensemble was established under the direction of Mark Potvin and is in its 5th concert season.  Our goal is to solicit the participation of serious choral students from area high schools to sing in an ensemble whose artistic capabilities may far  exceed that of their high school ensembles.  Additionally, Unum Vox engages singers in conversations about literature selection and introduces choral music from a diverse set of world cultures.  Student singers take these experiences (and the skills they develop) with them to enhance their hometown choirs.  

Unum Vox is different from other honor choir opportunities in the following ways:

1.  Unlike single-day/weekend collegiate or conference sponsored choral festivals, Unum Vox presents a full season of concert performances and engages in weekly rehearsals from October through May on Sundays from 6:00-8:00 pm.  

2.  Unum Vox rehearses in a location at a distance reasonably traveled by most singers and/or their parents on a weekly basis (Cambridge).  

3.  The fee for students to participate in Unum Vox is currently $80.  Additional costs incurred  by singers will be transportation to and from rehearsals/performances, a three-ring binder, and concert attire.  Scholarships are available for students who need help paying to participate.  

4.  Because the group is sponsored by ECMC mentorship opportunities with seasoned singers from our region of the State are frequently part of the activities of Unum Vox.  Student singers are exposed to the potential for singing in "life after high school.  

5.  Student singers are treated as semi-professionals and are expected to attend all rehearsals and performances.  In the event a singer is ill or unable to attend, they will be expected to communicate openly with the director with as much lead time as possible.  

6.  Ambassadorship is central to membership in Unum Vox.  It is important that the ensemble represents the communities of our arts region with dignity at all times.  

Auditions for Unum Vox are held in September.  In the audition, singer should be prepared to:

1. Sing "My Country 'tis of Thee" both a cappella and with piano accompaniment.

2. Sight-read a harmony part of a simple hymn. 

3. Repeat a tonal pattern of 5-8 pitches after hearing it played on the piano two times.

4. Discuss their experiences in choral music.

5. Provide pertinent contact information on a form available at audition.  

For more information please contact us via our contact page.