More Info About Fine Arts Choral Programs at MC
Interested in participating in a fine arts choral program at Maryville College? Please review the options below and then use the Fine Arts inquiry form to provide us with some information about yourself and your interests. An MC Admissions specialist, will put you in touch with one of our fine arts faculty, who will contact you to discuss your options.
The Maryville College Concert Choir was organized in 1917 to sing vesper services and was appropriately named the Vesper Choir. It became a part of the music curriculum in 1936 and underwent a name change to the “Maryville College Concert Choir” in 1954. Of the numerous fine directors, the one with the longest tenure is Dr. Harry H. Harter, who led the group from 1947 until his retirement in 1981. The current director is Stacey Murphy Wilner, the director of choral activities at Maryville College. Wilner has served as past president and the repertoire and standards chair of the Tennessee chapter of ACDA.
Today, Concert Choir members serve as musical ambassadors for the college, touring domestically and internationally. Participation is by audition only, and many students are music or choral scholarship recipients. Students participate in an annual fall retreat and host a benefit Invitational Choir Festival to support non-profit groups such as the Blount County Boys and Girls Club and the Joy of Music School. Performances throughout this year will also include Founder’s Day Showcase, MC Christmas Concert, Spring Homecoming Concerts, Knoxville Opera’s “Rossini Festival,” and performances at area churches and other events in the community throughout the year.
In January 2018 and February 2019, the Concert Choir hosted artist-in-residence Paul Phoenix, a Grammy award-winning former The King’s Singers member. Each year, the choir participates in master classes with professional musicians such as Cantus, Jacqui Horner-Kwiatek, formerly of Anonymous 4, Dr. Joe Miller of Westminster Choir College, Voces8, and most recently, with Chanticleer. The Concert Choir performed at the Tennessee Music Educators Association State Conference in Nashville in April 2013 and 2017. The 2018 “Make Our Garden Grow” spring tour included South Carolina and Florida locations. The Concert Choir participated in the world premiere of “People Are the Key,” composed by Paul John Rudoi and commissioned for the 2019 Bicentennial Homecoming Choir concert. Post-COVID, the Concert Choir performed with the American Spiritual Ensemble and completed a domestic tour of southern Tennessee and north Georgia in the spring of 2022. In May of 2023, the Concert Choir traveled to Scotland with performances at Stirling Castle in Stirling, St. Giles in Edinburgh, and joint concerts with the St. Salvator’s Chapel Choir of St. Andrew’s University and the Heart of Scotland Choir in Stirling. Most recently, the Concert Choir traveled on their 2025 “Times, They Are A-Changin’” Spring Tour, including performance stops at St. Simons Presbyterian Church in St. Simons Island, GA and the historic Memorial Presbyterian Church in St. Augustine, FL.
Affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, Maryville College is a nationally ranked institution of higher learning that successfully joins the liberal arts and professional preparation in partnership with others. The philosophy of the students in the Concert Choir closely follows that of Maryville College founder Isaac Anderson, “to do good on the largest possible scale.”
If you are an interested high school student looking for more information about vocal music opportunities at MC, we encourage you to join our Music @ MC GroupMe! You’ll be able to connect with current choral students, of varying majors, to discuss your questions about life as a music major, the choir’s performance schedules, scholarship opportunities, and why you should be a Singing Scot in our Fine Arts division. If you have any questions about setting up a campus tour or how to sign up to be a “Music Major for a Day,” please reach out to Stacey Murphy Wilner at stacey.wilner@maryvillecollege.edu or 865-981-8151.
For friends, parents, and potential students: Join Friends of the MC Concert Choir on Facebook
Connect with Alumni: Join MC Concert Choir Alumni Page on Facebook
Off Kilter is an auditioned SATB ensemble comprised of mostly upper-level students under the direction of Stacey Murphy Wilner. The Lads & Lassies were formed in the fall of 2011 from student interest and initiative and are now melded with Off Kilter, with members participating in both! The Lads is a TTBB ensemble under the new direction of Dr. Jennifer Anderson ’05, and The Lassies is an SSAA ensemble under the direction of Stacey Murphy Wilner. Involvement in both ensembles creates a more enriching educational experience for students and sharpens their skills a step further as young musicians.
The members of the vocal small ensembles perform at banquets, conferences, and social events for the College and perform multiple times a year for assisted living centers, high schools, and churches in the area. With the mission in mind that all students are ambassadors of the college, it is an uplifting experience for the community and campus when they see our students wearing Maryville College’s registered tartan colors. Educational emphasis is on chamber-style singing and stewardship for these ensembles, and members must also be in the Concert Choir.
Dr. Jennifer Olander Anderson ’05 completed her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Memphis. She received her Master of Music degree from The University of Tennessee Knoxville and her Bachelor of Arts in music from Maryville College. Jenny is the Assistant Director of Music at First United Methodist Church Maryville.
For more information on this program or to book a small ensemble for an event, please get in touch with Stacey Wilner at stacey.wilner@maryvillecollege.edu or 865-981-8151.
The Maryville College Community Chorus, under the direction of Dr. Dwight Dockery ’05, will begin spring rehearsals at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in the Harry H. Harter Choral Rehearsal Room of the Clayton Center for the Arts. Rehearsals are normally from 7 until 9 p.m. The chorus is open to all area singers of all talent levels above 16. Music reading experience is helpful but not required. Registration and music for the choir will be available at the first rehearsal.
This established chorus of over 50 singers has a strong tradition of presenting quality choral music and frequently joins other community ensembles, such as the Maryville College youth choirs and the Orchestra at Maryville College. The chorus performs quality literature of various styles and genres of the highest caliber. It often features the music of area composers and arrangers, as well as the classic gems of the masters.
Dr. Dwight Dockery ’05 earned his bachelor’s in music theory-composition from MC before obtaining his master’s in choral conducting from East Carolina University and his doctorate from the University of South Carolina. Today, he serves as music director at Maryville First United Methodist Church.
For more information, please contact Stacey Murphy Wilner, coordinator of choral music, at stacey.wilner@maryvillecollege.edu or 865-981-8151. Scholarship positions are available.
Connect with Chorus Members: Join the Maryville College Community Chorus Facebook Group
The Maryville College Youth Choirs focus on learning the fundamentals of music and the foundations of singing. Music education majors from Maryville College also assist with the groups. The ensembles present fall/spring concerts in the Clayton Center for the Arts’ Harold and Jean Lambert Recital Hall.
If your student is interested in joining the Youth Choir program in the Spring of 2026, complete this Google Form to receive more information!
The Scottie Singers is a youth choir for students in grades 4th through 8th. Rehearsal goals include vocal technique, ensemble blend, music theory, literacy and overall musicianship. Mrs. Philips plans to select a variety of concert choir literature that develops these skills and reflects student interests. Rehearsals will be on Tuesdays from 4:00-5:30 p.m. in Harry H. Harter Choral Rehearsal room at the Clayton Center for the Arts beginning August 12, 2025. We will begin with a “meet and greet” parent meeting on August 5. This enrichment opportunity is for students who love to sing and want to excel above and beyond their school music experience. Concert performance dates and other details will be shared in during registration. This choir will be led by Katie (Wagner) Philips (‘03). There will be a parent meeting and student vocal hearing each semester.
Katie Philips (‘03) Has served as a choir director throughout East Tennessee for 15 years teaching students from 5th to 12th grades. As a show choir director, her ensembles won regional competitions, receiving top ratings in vocal performance. When directing high school concert choirs, the ensembles consistently earned superior ratings at regional festivals. She also taught digital music, music history, and musical theatre. Philips earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Maryville College, a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and an Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from Lincoln Memorial University. Her professional interests include curriculum design, arts integration, and program development. She currently teaches an arts integrated Career Exploration class for Pre-K through 3rd grade at Foothills Elementary School in Maryville City Schools.
If you have further questions about Scottie Singers, please email Katie at ScottieSingers@gmail.com.
The Highlander Chorale, a youth choir for students in grades nine through twelve, will be starting for the Spring 2026 semester on January 8th at 4:30 p.m., and the choir will rehearse every Thursday from 4:30-6:00 p.m. in Harry H. Harter Choral Rehearsal room in the Clayton Center for the Arts. We will have a “meet and greet” parent meeting on January 8th at 6pm immediately following our first rehearsal. This enrichment opportunity is for students who love to sing and want to excel above and beyond their school music experience. Concert performance dates and other details will be shared during registration. This choir will be led by Maryville College choral program’s Choral Assistant, Jacob Parauka.
Jacob Parauka is a graduate from Troy University in Troy, Alabama, receiving his Master of Science in Music Education, having moved with his wife to the Knoxville area in the summer of 2024. He began working as the Choral Assistant to Maryville College’s vocal ensembles at the start of the 2024-25 school year, and is thrilled to be pursuing his passion in choral music.
If you have further questions about Highlander Chorale, please email Jacob at jacob.parauka@maryvillecollege.edu.
For friends, parents, or potential students: Follow our Instagram page @MCYouthChoirs! and our Facebook page!
The music scholarship is awarded based on the student’s record of experience and success in his/her field, the potential for the applicant to contribute to the quality of the music department, the letter(s) of recommendation, and the quality of the audition performance.
Open to music majors based on individual talent. Recipients are required to participate in a related music ensemble. Replaces academic merit scholarship. Application and campus interview required. Up to full tuition per year. Renewable for eight fall/spring semesters of full-time study.
REQUIREMENTS
Must have at least one Scholarship Reference Form submitted from your current applied teacher(s) before your audition.
QUALIFICATIONS
The Music Scholarship is made with consideration to the following criteria:
• The quality of the audition performance
• The student’s record of experience and success in his/her field
• The potential for the applicant to contribute to the quality of the music department
• Letter(s) of recommendation
OBLIGATIONS:
The Music Scholarship is awarded to students indicating Music as a major. Students receiving Music Scholarships will be expected to fulfill the academic and artistic responsibilities of the award, including but not limited to their successful participation in a related music ensemble. Students may expect their award to be renewed so long as they have fulfilled the conditions of the award. The following factors may be grounds for discontinuing or reducing the award: the student’s failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0; the student’s failure to live on campus if stated in the award contract; the student’s failure to make significant progress toward a music degree; or a serious violation of the law or Maryville College policies and regulations. The Music Department faculty reserves the right to refuse renewal in any of the above cases.
In addition to scholarships, Maryville College provides opportunities for additional awards to interested or qualified students. Many institutions only have scholarships for their majors; at Maryville College, awards are set aside specifically for non-majors to provide academic options that help each student reach his or her potential in life and the workplace. Open to non-music majors. We prefer at least two years before participation in a high school chorus. Up to $2,000. Renewable for eight fall/spring semesters of full-time study with continued involvement in a choral ensemble with a 2.5 GPA. Application and campus interview required.
REQUIREMENT:
Must submit at least one Scholarship Reference Form from a music teacher or director with whom you have worked closely.
