LCHS Choir Information

The choir program at Lexington Catholic High School under the direction of Adam Beeken and Robert Vanover is a young program.  In recent years the choir has grown from under thirty students with one part time instructor to over two hundred students with two full time instructors.  The school has six curricular ensembles (Beginning, Concert, Advanced Men’s & Women’s, Chamber Choirs and Chorale).  There are also four extra-curricular groups (Pop A Cappella Groups—MidKnight M’Ladyes and After Hours—Music Ministry, and Show Choir). The music department has developed its curriculum to include Honors Music Theory, AP Music Theory, Introduction to Piano, and Advanced Piano.  Annually the choir program has six concerts; participates in various honor choirs, festivals, and competitions; maintains a large private voice program of over thirty students; collaborates with music education students from the University of Kentucky; and tours locally, nationally, and internationally. The choirs have received high ratings and first place awards at district festivals and during trips to Cincinnati, Orlando, Chicago, Washington D.C., and New York.  The choir program sponsors the LCHS Vocal Music Award, a scholarship program designed to recognize excellent incoming and graduating students who will pursue vocal music.
 

The choir also commissions a new choral composition each year (below is a list of the composers and their compositions).  The choir recently premiered One Final Song a composition by Dr. James Mulholland who rehearsed the choir in person.  The choirs have also frequently collaborated with well known arranger Deke Sharon.  In 2007 the choir program was the recipient of a $25,000 grant from the Lucille Little Foundation for the purchase of a 6’0” Boston Grand Piano.  The choir took its first international tour during the summer of 2008 to France and Italy.  Trip highlights included performances in Notre Dame and St. Peter’s Basilica.  The choirs next international tour will be in June 2012 will take the choirs to Vienna, Venice, Florence, & Rome.  The Chamber Choir was selected to perform the Kentucky Music Educators Association (KMEA) state convention in February 2009.  The choir program has also collaborated in performance with The Lexington Philharmonic, The Lexington Singers, Centenary United Methodist Church Choir, Good Shepherd Episcopal Church Choir, and the Spellman College Glee Club.   Other notable experiences include performances at St. Joseph Cathedral (Columbus, Ohio), St. John the Divine Cathedral (New York), and St Peter’s on the Hill (Washington D.C.) and clinics with Dr. Michael Slon, Dr. Jefferson Johnson, Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt, Dr. Charlene Archibeque, and Tom Carter.

Commissioned Works:

Year    Title                                         Composer                    Publisher

2011    One Final Song                     James Mulholland       Colla Voce
2010    Psalm of the Sea                   David Childs

2009    Song of Creation                  Joseph Martin              Shawnee

2008    Fantasia on Psalm 150       Linda Spevacek          Heritage

2007    Appalachian Celebration   Earlene Rentz              Carl Fischer

Recent graduates have successfully become involved in music departments of the following:

Adam Beeken of Cleveland, TN, is in his seventh year as choir director at Lexington Catholic High School.  He graduated summa cum laude from Emory & Henry College (Emory, VA) with the Bachelor of Arts in Music and Theater where he studied with Mark Owen Davis.  He also studied conducting with Jefferson Johnson & Lori Hetzel at the University of Kentucky where he earned the Masters of Music Performance in Choral Conducting.  Mr. Beeken has held positions at Glade Spring Middle School and Park United Methodist Church.  He has been a member of the Lexington Singers and Lexington Chamber Chorale and holds membership in ACDA, MENC, and NPM.  He currently resides in Lexington, Kentucky with his wonderful family—Stephanie, his wife, and four children Mary Rose, Rebekah, Susannah, & Simeon—where they are active members in the music ministry at Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary Church.

Rob Vanover is in his fifth year as a full-time choral music faculty member at Lexington Catholic High School and his second year as Organist / Music & Worship Associate at Centenary United Methodist Church.  Previously, he has held many positions as a choral conductor and accompanist.  Included among these are Organist / Choir Director of Woodland Christian Church from 2000-2007, Director of Music Ministries at St. Peter Church from 2006-2009, accompanist for the University of Kentucky Women’s Choir from 2000-2007, staff accompanist at Georgetown College for 2006-2007, and Studio accompanist for the Voice Studio of Gail Robinson at UK from 2001-2007.  In addition he is currently Organist / Choir Director for the Lexington Latin Mass Community and accompanist for the Lexington Singers Children’s Choir.  Mr. Vanover earned the Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance from the University of Kentucky and is currently finishing the Master of Music in Sacred Music.