The Alabama Choir School offers six choirs, providing a comprehensive choral music education for young musicians in West Alabama. Our three, progressive auditioned ensembles are Concert Choir, Intermezzo Choir, and Chamber Choir. Additionally, we have a select a cappella ensemble, Encore, that consists of members of our Chamber Choir. These four ensembles perform multiple times a year across West Alabama and beyond.

​

We also have two non-auditioned training choirs, Discovery Choir for children ages 5–1st grade, and Preparatory Choir for students in grades 2nd–5th. These ensembles perform in musical sharings for families at the end of each session. 

​​

Discovery Choir

The Alabama Choir School’s Discovery Choir is an introductory level, non-auditioned training choir for children ages 5 through first grade (singers must be 5 years old on or before September 1). This choir provides a foundation in choral singing through playful explorations of pitch, rhythm, and movement. Discovery Choir rehearses once a week for 45 minutes, and each 10-week session concludes with a musical sharing for families. Each session of Discovery Choir features unique songs and musical themes. One session is offered in the Fall and one in the Spring. 

​​

Preparatory Choir

The Alabama Choir School’s Preparatory Choir is a non-auditioned training choir designed for both beginning and more experienced singers in grades 2–5. Preparatory Choir focuses on exploring vocal technique, music theory, and rehearsal skills, preparing students for singing in an auditioned choir with confidence. Preparatory Choir rehearses once a week for 45 minutes, and each 10-week session concludes with a musical sharing for families. To best meet your singer’s needs, he/she may complete one or several semesters of Preparatory Choir before being placed into a performing choir (at the discretion of our conducting staff). Each session of Preparatory Choir features unique songs and themes. One session is offered in the Fall and one in the Spring.​

​

Concert Choir

The Alabama Choir School’s Concert Choir is an auditioned ensemble for singers in grades 2nd and above. Singers may be placed in Concert Choir after participating in one of our training choirs for one or several semesters. Singers new to the Alabama Choir School who are 5th graders (or elementary school aged singers who have significant music experience) may audition directly into this ensemble. Each semester, Concert Choir presents two concerts, one at the beautiful Moody Concert Hall on the University of Alabama’s campus and one at local schools. Concert Choir performs repertoire from a variety of time periods, cultures, languages, and musical styles. 

 

Singer commitment: Singers enroll for one semester at a time in Concert Choir. 

 

Rehearsals: Once a week for one hour on Tuesdays, 4:30-5:30pm. See calendar for specific start and end dates.

 

Performances: Performs on the Moody Concert Hall stage in the Alabama Choir School combined Winter or Spring concert for all performing choirs. Performs in school concerts one school-day morning, once per semester. 

 

Optional Performance Opportunities: Performs at the opening of the Tuscaloosa Tinsel Trail in November and performs the National Anthem at a UA sporting event.

 

Benchmarks for placement into Concert Choir:

• Consistently matching pitch

• Basic music reading skills

• Collaborative ensemble skills 

• Attentive focus for choir rehearsals

• Prior musical performing experience in Alabama Choir School training choirs or elsewhere

 

Intermezzo Choir 

Singers in grades 5th–8th may audition for Intermezzo Choir, our intermediate treble ensemble. Performances for this choir include an annual collaboration with Maestro Adam Flatt and the professional Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra. Each semester, Intermezzo Choir will present a concert at the beautiful Moody Concert Hall on UA’s campus, including repertoire from a variety of time periods, cultures, languages, and musical styles. 

 

Singer commitment: Singers commit to one semester at a time.

 

Rehearsals: Once a week, Thursdays 4:00-5:45pm. See calendar for specific start and end dates.

 

Performances: Performs on the Moody Concert Hall stage in the Alabama Choir School combined Winter or Spring concert for all performing choirs. Performs with the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra in a collaborative concert

 

Optional Performance Opportunities: Performs at the opening of the Tuscaloosa Tinsel Trail each November. Performs the National Anthem at a UA sporting event at least once a year. Sings for services at Christ Episcopal Church (Alabama Choir School’s organizational host since 1985) one Sunday each year.

 

Chamber Choir 

Singers in grades 8–12 may audition for Chamber Choir, our flagship ensemble that sings Soprano Alto Tenor Bass (SATB) repertoire. Performances for this choir include an annual collaboration with Maestro Adam Flatt and the professional Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra. Each season, Chamber Choir will present two concerts at the beautiful Moody Concert Hall on UA’s campus, including repertoire from a variety of time periods, cultures, languages, and musical styles. 

 

Singer commitment: Because Chamber Choir performs repertoire at the highest level and singers grow vocally throughout the course of the school year, membership in Chamber Choir requires commitment to a full season of singing through the whole school year including both Fall and Spring semesters. 

 

Rehearsals: Once a week for two semesters, August through May, Wednesdays 4:15-6:00pm. See calendar for specific start and end dates.

 

Performances: Performs on the Moody Concert Hall stage in the Alabama Choir School combined Winter and Spring concerts for all performing choirs. Performs with the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra in a collaborative concert. 

 

Optional Performance Opportunities: Performs at the opening of the Tuscaloosa Tinsel Trail each November.  Performs the National Anthem at a UA sporting event at least once a year.  Sings for services at Christ Episcopal Church (Alabama Choir School’s organizational host since 1985) one Sunday each year.

 

Performance Tours: Chamber Choir participation in Spring Break performing tours is required in even years (Spring of 2028) and optional in odd years (Spring of 2027). 

 

Encore

Members of Chamber Choir may also audition for membership in our select a cappella ensemble, Encore. This choir sings music in a variety of styles all performed a cappella (without piano accompaniment) and represents ACS in our community with extra performances. Encore rehearses twice a month (in addition to Chamber Choir rehearsals), and performs 2-3 times each semester in addition to performing on the Alabama Choir School’s combined choir concerts at Moody Concert Hall. In our  inaugural year (2025-2026) we performed at varied venues including the Tuscaloosa River Market, Dickens Downtown in Northport,Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra’s Cheers-n-Chat, Tuscaloosa Arts Council First Friday, and Kentuck Saturday Arts Market.