CHORAL INSTITUTE & Composer Residency

June 18-22, 2025

Welcome

The Green Lake Festival of Music’s choral programs in 2025 promise to be another fantastic experience for everyone. Whether you’re participating in the Choral Institute with Monroe Crossing, the Composer Residency featuring Shawn E. Okpebholo, or both programs, you are in for a wonderful week of music and friendship. Please find all the information you’ll need to plan your time with us below. We will continuously update this webpage as more information becomes available, so please check back often.

Dates and Location

The Choral Institute will be held from Wednesday, June 18 to Saturday, June 21, and the Composer Residency will run from Thursday, June 19 to Sunday, June 22. Singers are welcome to participate in both programs.

All events will be held in Demmer Recital Hall within the C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts at Ripon College. (The Rodman Center is building #24 on the campus map.) There is ample free parking.

Audition Requirements

Auditions are not required in 2025 for either the Choral Institute or the Composer Residency.

Registration and Payment

Registration for the choral programs will begin in January and will remain open until May 15.

The registration cost is $150 if you’re participating in either the Choral Institute or the Composer Residency; $250 if you’re doing both. Non-refundable payments are due at registration.

Discounts

The Green Lake Festival of Music proudly offers registration discounts for active music educators, music students, and groups of 3 or more singers who register at the same time.

All rehearsals and performances will be held in Demmer Recital Hall within the C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts at Ripon College.

Participants are required to attend all rehearsals/performances in their entirety.

The schedule can be found here.

Listening to the repertoire will help you learn it more quickly. Click the titles of the pieces below to hear John’s recommended recordings. Please note that these are in concert order and that there is not a recording of Confessions available.

Choral Institute

 

Composer Residency

  • My God, I Love Thee
  • Confessions No recording available.
  • Sing Dumb
  • Deep River SSAA singers only. The GLFM Choral Conducting Apprentice will conduct this piece in rehearsal and performance.
  • Two vocal solos (sung by professional singers): Romance and Ballad of Birmingham, from Two Black Churches
  • He’s Got the Whole World The GLFM has commissioned Shawn to adapt this art song into a choral piece. We will give the world premiere at the Festival.

Photocopying copyrighted music is illegal and unethical. Participants are therefore required to purchase copies of all music.


We are in the process of making arrangements with Musical Resources of Toledo, OH to provide music for this event. You will be able to purchase scores from Musical Resources, who will ship scores directly to you. Ordering information will be available soon.

Listening to the repertoire will help you learn it more quickly. A YouTube playlist will be created for the Choral Institute’s repertoire.

For the Composer Residency, titles and links will be posted.

There is very little rehearsal time, and we’ll focus on shaping the music rather than learning notes and rhythms. Participants should come with all the repertoire selections completely learned

In the spring, registrants will receive a link to Google folders containing scans of John’s marked scores, as well as learning tracks. It is imperative that you transfer the markings that pertain to your voice part into your scores and learn them accordingly. When we all do this, our rehearsals will be more enjoyable as we’ll be able to move quickly beyond notes and rhythms. 

Composer Residency participants will receive the commissioned work, He’s Got the Whole World, via email when it is available.

As long as you’ve purchased copies of all the music, you may save time by printing copies of these scores or singing from a tablet.

There are two optional—yet highly recommended—pre-program rehearsals to help singers prepare for the programs. Past participants have found that attending these has been very helpful. A free-will donation will be collected in order to cover the room rental and accompanist fees.

Tuesday, June 3
Choir Room, C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts, Ripon College, Ripon, WI 54971
6:45–7:45- Choral Institute
8:00–9:00- Composer Residency

Tuesday, July 10
Countryside Church Unitarian Universalist, 1025 N. Smith St., Palatine, IL 60067
6:45–7:45- Choral Institute
8:00–9:00- Composer Residency

Please dress in all black with black shoes for the performances. Additionally, bring a black folder or black binder for your music.

We are pleased to offer this exciting program, now in its third year. If you know of a talented conductor who is looking for a paid learning experience for this summer, please pass along this exciting opportunity.

Participants are responsible for their own meals and accommodations. The Green Lake Festival of Music has reserved a block of rooms (listed under the Green Lake Festival of Music Room Block) at the following locations:

Cobblestone Suites
920-748-5500
Double Queen rooms 

Boarders
920-748-7578
Double Queen or King Rooms available 

Hilton Garden Inn Oshkosh
920-966-1300
Double Queen or King Rooms available 

This website lists many lodging options in Green Lake. Lodging in Oshkosh and Fond du Lac is also an option; each city is approximately 25 minutes away from the Ripon College campus.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out.

About the Director

John C. Hughes

Director of Choral Programs & Conductor

2024 Composer in Residence

Green Lake Festival of Music Choral Program 2024
Green Lake Festival of Music Choral Program 2024

Group Discount

The Green Lake Festival of Music proudly offers a 10% discount for groups of 3 or more singers who register at the same time. This offer applies only to the Choral Institute. There are no group discounts for the Composer Residency. This discount may not be combined with any other offers.
Promo Code: GROUP10

Active Music Educator

The Green Lake Festival of Music proudly offers a 10% discount for active music educators. There are no restrictions on the grade level or educational setting. This offer applies to both the Choral Institute and Composer Residency. This discount may not be combined with any other offers.
Promo Code: EDUCATOR10

Music Student Discount

The Green Lake Festival of Music proudly offers a 10% discount for undergraduate and graduate students majoring in music. This offer applies to both the Choral Institute and Composer Residency. This discount may not be combined with any other offers.
Promo Code: STUDENT10