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CORVALLIS - New and experienced singers are invited to join the Oregon State University Summer Choir, which begins its fourth season with rehearsals beginning on Monday, July 25, at 7 p.m. at Benton Hall on the OSU campus.

Rehearsals will continue on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m., also in Benton Hall.

Steven Zielke, director of choral studies at OSU, supervises the choir. Graduate students studying choral conducting do much of the conducting. Zielke encourages experienced vocalists as well as people new to singing to participate.

"Summer Choir provides a lab for my conducting students, an opportunity for experienced singers to rehearse with a choir during the summer months, and an opportunity for inexperienced singers to see how they enjoy singing and performing publicly with a choral ensemble," Zielke said. "We like to call it 'hot summer nights and cool choral music,'" he added. "Everyone is welcome, whether you are a professional musician or this is your first choir."

The choir will rehearse a diverse repertoire and conclude with a free public concert on Friday, Aug. 19, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the First Congregational United Church of Christ. The highlight of the concert program will be Henry Purcell's birthday ode, "Come Ye Sons of Art," performed with orchestra. The concert will also include music honoring the great outdoors, featuring selections by Brahms, Haydn and Jester Hairston.

Students may register for credit and community members may participate for a $15 fee. For more information contact the OSU Department of Music at 541-737-4061.