Choirs from Southern Adventist University’s School of Music performed Verdi’s Requiem in partnership with the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera (CSO) Chorus and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Chamber Singers, at Memorial Auditorium in Chattanooga, Tenn., in April 2026.
Performed by a full orchestra and more than 200 singers, the concert marked the end of the 2025-2026 CSO season. The combined choir was conducted by prizewinning Ilya Ram, CSO music director, whose creative and engaging reputation spans the globe.
“Our students learned a lot by singing with a more experienced choir,” said Rina Ritivoiu, D.M.A, director of Southern’s vocal ensembles. “This was an ideal musical mentoring opportunity. Requiem brought so many communities together, and the energy it created was very powerful!”
Preston Carter, freshman music major, shares, “Being part of a choir that size is always inspirational, and to work with an ensemble and a conductor of that caliber was just a magnificent experience.”
Joseph Manzanillo, who graduated in May 2026, just after the performance, said, “I’ve been a member of the University choirs for two years, and this was a great way to finish out my last semester.”
Southern Adventist University | September 2026
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