Calvin Alumni Choir

The Calvin College Alumni Choir recently celebrated its 30th anniversary since the choir was founded in 1977 by Helen Hoekema VanWyck '75. Kenneth Sweetman '75 and Roy Hopp '75 conducted the choir from 1978-1979 and 1979-1981 respectively. In 1981, Anton Armstrong, current conductor of the St. Olaf College Choir, became the Alumni Choir's fourth conductor. During Dr. Armstrong's tenure, the choir performed for the National Convention of the American Choral Directors Association in Salt Lake City (1985) and conducted tours to Chicago, Southern California, Denver and Utah. Charles K. Smith, Director of Choral Activities (emeritus) at Michigan State University, was the choir's fifth conductor (1990-1998). Under Dr. Smith's leadership the choir made four recordings.

The Calvin Alumni Choir has been under the direction of Dr. Pearl Shangkuan since 1998. In March of 2007, the choir performed at the national convention of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) held in Miami. It has also performed at regional and state conventions of the ACDA, National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM), and American Guild of Organists (AGO). Dr. Shangkuan led the choir on a tour to Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Taiwan in 2000 and the Netherlands in 2004. Four additional recordings have been made since Shangkuan became the music director. In the 2007-08 season, the choir looks forward to a recording project featuring the sacred choral works of prominent American composer Stephen Paulus.

The choir has collaborated with the Grand Rapids Symphony on performances of the B Minor Mass and the Magnificat by Bach at the Grand Rapids Bach Festival in 2005 and 2007, as well as the Second Symphony (“Resurrection”) by Mahler. In addition to its four annual concerts, the Calvin College Alumni Choir leads worship services in area churches and performs for Calvin College and community functions.