MEET  THE  MUSICIANS

Birmingham Concert Chorale

The Birmingham Concert Chorale was founded in 1966 as the Birmingham Civic Chorus under the direction of Bruce Tolbert of the University of Montevallo. In 1977, the name was changed to the Birmingham Concert Chorale. Past directors have included Hugh Thomas, Tom Gibbs, Timothy Banks, David Smith and Mark Ridings.

The Chorale enjoyed a long association with the former Alabama Symphony Orchestra. In 1997, with the rebirth of the ASO, the Birmingham Concert Chorale was formally designated as "The Official Chorus of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra." In recent years, the Chorale has traveled to New York City for performances in Carnegie Hall, and also to England to participate in the International Cathedral Music Festival.

The Birmingham Concert Chorale exists to present artistically worthy and inspiring performances of great choral music that nurture the human spirit, preserve and foster our musical heritage, and enrich the cultural fabric of our community; and to be the indispensable partner of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra in jointly presenting a legacy of treasured choral/orchestral masterpieces. To accomplish these objectives, we will engage the most talented and committed chorale performers and fully develop their musical potential.

Please visit our website at www.concertchorale.org.

Dr. Philip Copeland, Director

Dr. Philip Copeland began his tenure as Chorale Director with the 2008-09 concert season. In addition to his Chorale responsibilities, Dr. Copeland is Associate Professor of Music at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where he has served since 2001. There he is Director of Choral Activities, conducts the Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and Women's Chorale as well as teaching classes in conducting, music education, music appreciation and methods courses for choral music education majors.

Choirs under Dr. Copeland's direction have distinguished themselves on the national and international stage. He recently led the Birmingham Concert Chorale and UAB choir members in a performance of Mozart's Solemn Vespers in New York's famed Carnegie Hall. And under his direction, the UAB Concert Choir recently won the Heinrich Schütz Perpetual Trophy for their performance of a work by the Baroque
composer in the Fleischman International Choral Competition in Cork, Ireland. This was preceded by participation in the 34th annual Florlilege Vocal de Tours in Tours, France. While on faculty at the University of Mississippi, his choir won the top award and gold medal at the first-ever Choral Olympics in Linz, Austria.

Dr. Copeland holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Music Education from Mississippi College and a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Mississippi. He is married to Leigh and they have triplet daughters, Catherine, Caroline, and Claire.