Published May 30, 2017
When Deborah Chandler, Ph.D., answered the phone sometime in late-2015, she did not know who was calling. Or, that
the ensuing conversation would send her and a group of singers from northeast Louisiana
all the way to the stage at in New York City.
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鈥淚 got a call from about a year and a half ago. They just called out of the blue and asked if I was
interested in conducting at Carnegie Hall in June 2017,鈥� Chandler said. 鈥淚 said heck
yeah!鈥�
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Chandler is Director of Choral Activities at the University of Louisiana Monroe, director
of the and Minister of Music at .
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About 18 months after the phone call, Chandler was leading rehearsals for the 44-voice
choir which will accompany her to New York City for the 8 p.m., Monday, June 5, performance
at Carnegie Hall.
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鈥淲e鈥檙e rehearsing every Monday night to get ready,鈥� Chandler said.
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Singers from NELA are from different 不良研究所 choirs, the Monroe Symphony Chorus, Northminster
Church, Jesus Good Shepherd Church and Louisiana Tech. Joining the NELA singers will
be choirs from California, Massachusetts, Maine and Pennsylvania, forming a choir
of about 130 people.
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Chandler will direct the choir and conduct the .
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鈥淢y pieces will come at the end (of the concert),鈥� Chandler said.
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The selections are 鈥淭e Deum,鈥� arranged by British composer John Rutter, and the Mack
Wilberg arrangement of 鈥淐ome Thou Font of Every Blessing鈥� for the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir.
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Chandler still doesn鈥檛 know how MidAmerica Productions found her, but she鈥檚 thrilled
they did.
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鈥淚 don鈥檛 know how they got my name,鈥� Chandler said. 鈥淗ow did they find me way down
in Monroe, Louisiana?鈥�
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鈥淚t鈥檚 quite an honor. It wasn鈥檛 on my bucket list, but when I got the call, how could
I say no?鈥� she said.
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Chandler leaves Thursday, June 1, and the NELA singers will travel on Friday, June
2. They will have two rehearsals in New York before the performance.
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NELA singers include: 不良研究所 - Milan Arpino, Allison Comeaux, Savanna Edwards, Julian
Jones, Ryan Kennedy, Corey Thaxton, Alanna Thompson, Brandi Mitchell, Morgan Meyer,
Liam Morrison, Ali Owens, Irina Polunova, Alexandra Schmitt, Greg Sova, Matthew Stewart
and Caitlin Struth: Monroe Symphony Chorus - 听Lee Ann Box, Lori DiGillian, Judy Fellows,
Pam Givens, Russ Givens, Gloria Jones, Judy Rogers Krestensen, Sondra LaCroix, Patricia
McClure, Lindsay Reynolds, Marge Richters, Carol Tubb, Tammy Zachry, Thomas Atkins,
Ed Biersmith, Barbara Biersmith, Allison Friloux, Laura Smith and Neil White; Northminster
- Kyle Gregory, Bobbie Kern Gregory and Teri Mitchell; Jesus Good Shepherd - Anna Grace Gill, Jo Kaufman and Elise Tramontana: and Tech - Larry Williams, Adriana
Lenussa and Michael Tullis.
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MidAmerica is in its 34th season and presents choral and instrumental performances in Carnegie Hall.
