The University of Maryland Eastern Shore Concert Choir consists of a unique group of students who represent many academic disciplines. They bring to the organization not only their musical talent, but their diverse backgrounds, personalities, and character traits. The Concert Choir exemplifies the axiom - the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. They have established a reputation of being excellent ambassadors for the University.

The UMES Concert Choir performs all forms of choral literature many times during the year. They have performed James Weldon Johnson's "God's Trombones," Linda Twine's, "Change My Name," and other selected works by American and European composers.

The choir has performed at Universities; academies, public, private, and parochial schools; and churches of various denominations. In the states, their travels have taken them to Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, Florida, and New York, including performance at the United Nations "Zeus Area." Internationally, they have toured Trinidad, West Indies, with performances at Caribbean Union College, Southern Academy, several churches and high schools. Their tour to London, England consisted of performances at secondary schools, churches, and Newbold College. In the Virgin Islands, they performed at both elementary and high schools, area churches, and an annual Memorial Day Ceremony in F.D. Roosevelt Park, St. Thomas. The choir performed two benefit concerts in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The first one was in support Friends of the Drug Court, a drug rehabilitation program. The second was a concert to benefit the Good Shepherd AIDS Hospice. Other venues in Jamaica included Montego Bay Seventh Day Adventist Church and St. James Parish Anglican Church.

The choir has most recently traveled to Nassau, Bahamas; Paris, France; and Frankfurt, Germany.

The 25-member ensemble represents six states and the District of Columbia, students of all classifications (freshmen-seniors), seven academic disciplines, and three foreign countries. The UMES Concert choir is under the direction of Sheila McDonald Harleston.

                                                                        Director