Overview
At Colorado State University, student singers become exceptional musicians by participating in choral ensembles where they sing core repertoire of choral canon from a range of eras. The ensembles are open to all CSU students, regardless of major; however, an audition is required for select groups.
The entire music faculty encourages student participation in choir; the best musician-singers in the music program sing in the top choirs resulting in a balance of graduate vocal majors and undergraduate music majors throughout.
The CSU choral program is established on a national level through appearances at multiple conferences such as the National Collegiate Choral Organization, the American Choral Directors Association, the Aspen Music Festival, the Steamboat Springs Strings Festival, and the Colorado Music Educators Association.
The CSU choirs perform locally many times each academic year including traditional choral concerts and large-scale works with the University Symphony Orchestra, as well as at special events such as CSU Founder’s Day at the state capital. Internationally, the choirs have traveled to Asia and Europe on numerous occasions. Additionally, CSU choirs embark on regional recruiting and outreach tours, performing at high schools, churches, and other notable venues.
Study With

Nathan Payant
- Assistant Professor of Practice, Music
- Administrative Coordinator of Music Education
- Director of Concert Choir
(970) 491-2346
Events
Spring 2026 Student Recitals / FREE
Trumpet Studio Recital / FREE
Book Talk: "Will Work for Food: Labor Across the Food Chain"
Jazz Combos Concert: Combos III, IV, and V
Opera: Giacomo Puccini's Gianni Schicchi
Opera: Giacomo Puccini's Gianni Schicchi
2026 Spring Game Extravaganza with the CSU Marching Band
2026 CSU Jazz High School Honor Band
Woodwinds Chamber Ensemble Concerts / FREE
Brass Area Chamber Recital / FREE
Guest Artist Concert: Emily Martin, Soprano / FREE
Woodwinds Chamber Ensemble Concerts / FREE
Flute Studio Recital / FREE
Jazz Combos Concert: Combos I and II
2026 Color Guard Pre-Audition Clinic (optional)
Trombone Choir Concert / FREE
Virtuoso Series Concert: Tiffany Blake, Soprano
Humanities Research Day
Guitar Studio Recital / FREE
All-Choral Finale Concert
Moved & Combined:Undergraduate Chamber Music Concert / FREE
MOVED: String Chamber Music Concert / FREE
Wind Symphony Concert: Enigma!
2026 CSU Percussion Solo and Ensemble Competition and Festival
Percussion Ensemble Festival Concert
Double Reed Studio Recital / FREE
Saxophone Studio Recital / FREE
Concert Orchestra Concert: The Birds and the Bees / FREE
CANCELLEDVirtuoso Series Concert: Patricia Goble, Soprano, and Juhyun Lee, Piano
CANCELLEDGuest Artist Concert: Andrew Lynge, Percussion / FREE
Jazz Ensembles Concert: With Guest Artist Jonathan Kreisberg, Guitar
Virtuoso Series Concert: Drew Leslie, Trombone, and Brian Sugrue, Euphonium & Tuba, with Juhyun Lee, Piano
Symphonic Band Concert
Symphonic Band Concert
2026 CSU Color Guard Auditions: In-person and Online Options
World Percussion Ensemble Concert
Trombone Studio Recital / FREE
2026 CSU Drumline Auditions
Concert Band Concert: Of the People / FREE
String Area Honors Recital / FREE
Keyboard Area Studio Recital / FREE
Music in the Museum: CSU Graduate Students / FREE
University Symphony Orchestra Concert: Virtuoso Voices
2026 CSU Percussion Camp
2026 Organ Week at Colorado State University
2026 Colorado Harp Seminar
2026 Colorado Kodály Institute
2026 Colorado Cello Intensive
2026 International Keyboard Odyssiad® and Festival, USA
2026 Alumni Band at CSU Homecoming and Family Weekend
News
The Colorado Music Educators Association clinic conference will take place online for 2021. Information about registering for the annual conference is available at cmeaonline.org. CSU music education graduate student Christina Herman has been selected to present a session titled: Student Perceptions of Online Peer Learning in Preservice Music Teacher Education: Motivation, Social-Emotional Learning, and Classroom Climate […]
In November, Colorado State University vocal students participated in the 2020 West Central Regional Student Auditions for the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS); the 58th annual competition for Colorado, Wyoming, and Kansas vocalists was held via video submission for 2020. Founded in 1944, NATS is the largest professional association of teachers of singing in […]
Ensembles
Chamber Choir (MU 400)

Under the direction of Dr. James Kim, this top-select ensemble of 24–32 singers perform a variety of a cappella and accompanied repertoire. Objectives include ensemble precision with sensitivity to blending and intonation, demonstrating both healthy vocal production and sophisticated musical knowledge.
The Chamber Choir has been featured at many honor festivals, conventions, and workshops, including the International Sacred Choral Music Festival and Changwon Grand-Prix Choral Festival & Competition in Korea, appearances at National Collegiate Choral Organization conferences for a feature performance conducted by Bach specialist Helmuth Rilling. They've been featured at the ACDA Regional Conference in Denver, Colorado.
- Audition required - open to all CSU students
- Rehearses: M/W/F, 1-2:25 p.m., Runyan Rehearsal Hall, G 122
- Director: Dr. James Kim
Concert Choir (MU 305)

The Concert Choir is an auditioned ensemble of 40-50 undergraduate and graduate students from all degree paths at CSU. Half of the students pursue majors other than music and represent members of top high school choral programs from across the country and multiple all-state ensembles. The Concert Choir performs music from across the spectrum of choral repertoire, including masterworks by major composers from the early Renaissance through the Nineteenth Century, and new repertoire from some of today's top names in choral composition. The Concert Choir has collaborated with prominent composers such as Ola Gjeilo, Joshua Shank, and Paul Carey in recent performances. It frequently combines with the CSU Chamber Choir and Symphony Orchestra to perform such masterworks as The Yellow River Cantata by Xian Xinghai (performed in Mandarin Chinese), Mozart's Requiem and Grand Mass in C Minor, and Orff’s Carmina Burana. The Concert Choir regularly performs in concert on campus and in Fort Collins and Northern Colorado venues.
- Audition required - open to all CSU students
- Rehearses: M/W/F, 2:40-4 p.m., Runyan Rehearsal Hall, G 122
- Director: Dr. Nathan Payant
University Chorus (MU 202)
The University Chorus (MU 202) is open to all CSU students and is the largest and most diverse choir on campus with 100+ singers. Emphasis is placed on the basics of beautiful, healthy vocal technique for the enjoyment of singing. The University Chorus performs a variety of music spanning history, culture, and language, including Renaissance madrigals, classical works, jazz tunes, world music, spirituals, and contemporary pieces.
- No audition required: register and show up
- Rehearses: T/TR, 5:30-7 p.m., Runyan Rehearsal Hall, G 122
- Director: Carly.Neumann


