University Singers

The Andrews University Singers, is the select choir from the Department of Music under the direction of Stephen Zork, and represents Andrews University locally, nationally and abroad through concert tours, television broadcast and audio recordings. Under his direction, the seven album recordings in the University Singers’ discography includes an array of musical and cultural styles from the early New England Christian church hymnody to choral music of Western and Eastern European heritage. Their repertoire also reflects the internationally diverse cultural threads that constitute the fabric of Andrews University’s celebrated cosmopolitan family. Their recordings are selected regularly for the nationally syndicated sacred choral programs “Sing for Joy” and “With Heart and Voice”. The University Singers can be seen and heard on weekly television broadcasts from Pioneer Memorial Church. And, they have sung for the nationally televised ABC Christmas Special.

Selected from amongst hundreds of auditioned university choirs, the Andrews University Singers have given three concert performances at conferences for the American Choral Director's Association.  They have given highly acclaimed international concert tours throughout the countries of Great Britten, Iceland, Norway, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Chile, Bahamas, Bermuda and Puerto Rico. They have performed in concert with noted musical artists such as Bobby McFerrin and jazz pianist David Benoit. And they recently performed with England’s leading male ensemble The King’s Singers an American premier of two choral pieces composed by Bob Chilcott. Every year, the Andrews University Singers perform major symphonic choral works with the Andrews University Symphony Orchestra in the world-class Howard Performing Arts Center. Recent collaborations include Mendelssohn’s “Elijah”, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Brahms “A German Requiem”, Handel’s “Messiah”, and Johann Sebastian Bach's “Magnificat” and “St. Matthew Passion”. On April 25 of this year they received a standing ovation for their performance of Mendelssohn’s “Symphony No. 2 – Lobgesang” (Song of Praise). 

Stephen Zork
Associate Professor of Music (Choir and Voice) 
Conductor, University Singers

Education
M.M. Choral Conducting - Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma
B. M. Music Education - Atlantic Union College, South Lancaster
London Royal Academy of Music, Piano and Theory - Bulawayo

Biography
Stephen Zork has been the director of Choral Studies at Andrews University since 1991. In addition to teaching classes related to choral pedagogy, he oversees the graduate choral conducting majors in their responsibilities with the University Chorale. He maintains an active schedule guest conducting choral festivals and lecturing at music conferences throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America. Mr. Zork annually organizes and hosts two choral invitational concerts in the Howard Performing Arts Center for high school, community colleges, and university choirs. Recent collaborative concerts with the Andrews University Singers have included Western Michigan University, Southwest-Michigan College, Southwestern Adventist University, Lake Michigan College, Taylor University, La Sierra University, and Southern Adventist University.

An enthusiastic promoter of community choirs, Zork conducted the South Bend Symphonic Choir – the choir in residence at the University of Indiana South Bend from 2003 – 2008. With a grant from the Council of the Christian Arts he helped establish the Christian Arts Chorale, which he conducted from 2004 - 2010. Concert productions with the Christian Arts Chorale included the opera “I am the Way” featuring Jerome Hines - Metropolitan Opera bassso profundo, and  “Savior” by Gregg Nelson – a modern neoclassical oratorio, presented with the world-renowned Louisiana ballet troupe Ballet Magnificat.  Zork is in his 24th year as director of the Chancel Choir, First Congregational Church of St. Joseph, Michigan.