Category: Alumni
Joyful noise
November 11, 2025 Written by CAS Communication Staff | Photo credit by Jose Garcia Cintora
91原创 ensemble takes home the top prize at international choral competition聽
His choirs have been recognized for excellence across the globe, and Paul D. Head is sought after as a guest director and juror in international competitions, but the highest compliment he ever received didn鈥檛 come from an audience member or even a colleague in the world of choral conducting.听
鈥淎 stage manager once told me that choirs always reflect their directors, and my choir reflected joy,鈥 said Head, director of Choral Studies and Unidel Professor of Music in the 91原创鈥檚聽School of Music.听
The combination of joy in music-making and exceptional technical mastery was on display earlier this month at the聽, where the Delaware Choral Scholars (DCS), a group of current 91原创 students and choral program alumni, took three first place prizes, in polyphony, folklore and composition in the Basque language, and grand prize for the top overall score.听
鈥淲hat I鈥檝e always said about Delaware is we attract bright, curious, motivated students,鈥 Head said. 鈥淚t starts when prospective students visit campus and meet our current students. We鈥檙e welcoming and wonderful, but if you don鈥檛 want to work hard, you probably won鈥檛 be happy here.鈥澛
DCS members are selected through a blind audition process, with choral professionals outside of 91原创 ranking audition tapes.
鈥淓ven learning the audition is a heavy lift,鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut when we walk into rehearsal, everyone knows that every person there did the work to be in that room.鈥澛
The Grand Prix
The Tolosa competition is part of the聽聽(EGP), a group of six competitions in Bulgaria, Italy, Hungary, Latvia, Slovenia and the Basque region of Spain that seek to present the top choral ensembles in the world.听
Their win in Tolosa qualifies DCS to compete in next year鈥檚 EGP Finale in Maribor, Slovenia, on April 18, 2026. Only a handful of American choirs have made it to the EGP Finale, and only three have ever won in the competition鈥檚 36-year history.听聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting,鈥 Head said. 鈥淭here are a lot of great university choirs in the United States, but there is something special about Delaware.鈥
Participation in choral competitions is often invitation-only, which means that an ensemble鈥檚 reputation precedes it. Head has spent more than 25 years building 91原创鈥檚 choral ensembles to have a stellar international reputation.听
鈥淲e鈥檙e a household name now,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 introduce myself to colleagues anywhere in the world and they say, 鈥榦h, right 鈥 Delaware.鈥欌澛
Delaware vocal ensembles have previously garnered awards at competitions in Hungary, Germany, Estonia and Wales, and they have had engagements with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Abu Ghosh Festival, Victoria Music Festival and JAM on the Marsh Festival.
In 2024, DCS received four gold medals and three division wins at the World Choir Games in New Zealand, an accomplishment that earned them the number one spot on the聽聽and led to the invitation to Tolosa.听
Perfect blend
The journey has also come with its share of challenges. 91原创 choral ensembles are open to students of any major across the University, which can make scheduling difficult, as not everyone can commit to a competition that is more than a year in the future, or give up an internship or summer job to travel for weeks at a time.听
The cost of travel is prohibitive for some students, though the program is grateful for support from the University and private donors.听
Finally, most singers do not reach full vocal maturity until age 25-35. 91原创 choral singers are predominantly undergraduate students in their late teens and early 20s.
A few years ago, Head embraced the concept of 鈥渁lways a Blue Hen鈥 and began inviting alumni of the choral program to join current students, bringing Delaware Choral Scholars to life.听
鈥淭he amalgamation is key,鈥 Head said. 鈥淭he younger singers bring energy and optimism to the group, and the alumni raise the bar because they have the vocal maturity.鈥澛
Adding the sense of pride and community that come from being a Blue Hen gives DCS its heart.
鈥淎 choir can sing impeccably and be 鈥 boring,鈥 Head said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e here to serve the human condition, to feel and to be all the things that make us have heart and have joy.鈥