The Impossible Dream: The UNC Charlotte Chorale

In proud partnership with UNC Charlotte's College of Arts and Architecture, we bring to you a special live chorale performance that blends powerful voices to tell stories created by Black composers. Enjoy this live performance followed by a talkback with the director Dr. Jason Dungee and some promising chorale members. This Wednesday Night Live program is free and open to all ages and backgrounds.

The University Chorale of UNC Charlotte concert series "The Impossible Dream" features music from a wide range of genres, eras, and from a diverse selection of composers. The Chorale specializes in music that ranges from complex polyphony, like William Byrd's Sing Joyfully or Giuseppi Verdi's Ave Maria, to pieces that represent contemporary choral music like Nathan Carter’s Psalm 150 or B.E. Boykin's Holding the Light. As always, however, diversity in representation is a priority. And this series will feature several works by Black Composers of the past, such as Moses Hogan, as well as those who are leading in the present, like Marques L.A. Garrett and Adolphus Hailstork.

This program is sure to both amaze and inspire.

Conductor, tenor, and music educator Dr. Jason A. Dungee currently serves as the Director of Choral Activities at UNC Charlotte. He has earned degrees from the University of Arizona, Westminster Choir College, and Hampton University. Previous appointments include Claflin University in South Carolina and the University of South Florida. Prior to those appointments, he enjoyed eight years as a successful high school choral music teacher in Newport News and Williamsburg, Virginia. He was a Conductor Fellow in the 16th Varna International Music Academy in Varna, Bulgaria, and in March of 2020, Dungee was Co-Conductor of the inaugural HBCU Tribute Choir for the Southern Division ACDA Conference.

Dungee's article "A Pedagogy for Living: Applying Restorative, Anti-Racist Pedagogy to the Choral Classroom" was published in The Choral Journal and that and his research on the music of Dr. Adolphus Hailstork have led to his being in demand as a presenter for organizations and universities across the U.S.

Recently, Dr. Dungee has found success in popular music and entertainment as well. He was selected for two consecutive years to prepare choirs for the southeast leg of HBO's internationally acclaimed touring production of The Game of Thrones Live Experience, featuring music from the hit TV program. In February of 2022, Dungee was asked to prepare an ensemble for the rock band the Eagles for their performances in Charlotte and will do so again this April for a concert in Greensboro. While in South Carolina, he conducted sold out, critically acclaimed performances as guest conductor of the Charleston Gospel Choir and sang the tenor solo with the London Symphony Orchestra as they premiered Andre Thomas's Mass.

The University Chorale is the flagship choral ensemble of the UNC Charlotte music department. Consisting of both music majors and non-majors, the Chorale proudly serves as ambassadors of the music department and the University at large, frequently performing in the greater Charlotte area and various locations throughout the southeastern region of the United States. The Chorale has historically participated in several prestigious performances both domestically and abroad; including Madrid, Spain, for the 25th Anniversary Gala of the Gredos San Diego schools, and Venice, Italy, at the historic St. Mark's Basilica.

Along with performances of such masterworks as Schubert's Mass in G, Haydn's Missa Brevis (at the North Carolina Music Educators Annual Conference), and the Brahms German Requiem, the Chorale has also recently participated in several popular music oriented performances, such as the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra's production of Video Games Live as the background ensemble for the award-winning rock group The Eagles during their 2022 tour stop in Charlotte (to be repeated in Greensboro in April 2023).

The Chorale was honored to perform for the 2022 North Carolina State conference of the American Choral Directors Association (NCACDA), and the Cabarrus All-County Choral Festival.