Nassau Chamber Chorale

ABOUT THE ENSEMBLE

The Nassau Chamber Chorale, led by Music Director Edward P. Norris III, is an ensemble comprising of Nassau County’s finest high school vocal musicians. Members of the Chorale have also performed with the All-County Choirs, All-State Choirs, All Eastern Choir and the ACDA National Choir. This is a select group of approximately 40 singers that perform some of the world’s finest choral literature; from the classics to contemporary (NYSSMA level 6 and beyond). The musicians in this group are advanced performers and have mastered the vocal skills necessary to be outstanding choral singers. Many of our members go on to study music in college.

ABOUT THE MUSIC DIRECTOR

Edward P. Norris III is the director of Choral Music at Glen Cove High School where he conducts the Mixed Chorus and the Select Chorale. Mr. Norris also teaches courses in Music Theory, and AP Music Theory. He serves as the music director and conductor of the school’s musical productions and advisor of the Tri-M National Music Honors Society. Mr. Norris also serves as the district’s music team leader.

Mr. Norris is a graduate of the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, where he received both his Bachelor of Arts Degree, and his Master’s Degree in Music Education. Mr. Norris has furthered his choral studies singing under the batons of Anton Armstrong, Lawrence Eisman, Weston Noble, Tim Peter, John Rutter, and Andre Thomas. He has also sung professionally with the Canticum Novum Singers under the direction of Harold Rosenbaum.

During Mr. Norris’ tenure at Glen Cove High School, the Mixed Chorus and Select Chorale have only received Gold Medals and Gold Medals with Distinction at the NYSSMA Major Ensemble festivals. In the past, the Chorale has joined forces with MYO performing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and both the Select Chorale and Mixed Chorus have worked with the MYO Orchestra to perform “Everything Indicates” by Dr. Gerald Custer (world premiere) and Carmina Burana by Carl Orff. The Chorale has also performed at the NYACDA Choral Directors Conference, as well as choral festivals at Westminster Choir College and the Aaron Copland School of Music. In 2013, the Select Chorale was invited to perform at the White House for the President and First Lady, as well as other invited guests. In January of 2016, Mr. Norris and the Select Chorale performed in a concert tour of Italy which included performances at St. Peter’s Basilica, the Church of San Lorenzo, and the Basilica of St. Francis. While on tour, the Chorale had the distinct honor to perform for His Holiness, Pope Francis at the Feast of the Epiphany at St. Peters. In the spring of 2019, the Select Chorale had the honor of performing at the Music for All National Choral Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana where they worked with Dr. Andre Thomas, and composer Stacey V. Gibbs. In February 2023, Mr. Norris’ Select Chorale was featured performers at the American Choral Directors Association National Conference in Cincinnati Ohio where they collaborated with Dr. Joe Miller, Mr. Henry Leck and Ms. Robyn Lana. Mr. Norris is also the director of the Long Island University Choir as well as a contributing author in the Teaching with Heart Series written by Dr. Jason Max Ferdinand.

Mr. Norris is extremely proud to be the director of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra (MYO) Chamber Chorale. Under his direction, the MYO Choirs have performed works such as Mozart’s Requiem, Rutter’s Requiem, Rutter’s Te Deum, Poulenc’s Gloria, Handel’s Messiah, Gjeilo’s To The East And To The West (world premiere 2014), and Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass with professional orchestra. The MYO Chamber Chorale joined forces with Mr. Norris’ Glen Cove Select Chorale to perform a special concert in Lincoln Center featuring the music of Ola Gjeilo with the composer at the piano. The Chorale has been fortunate to perform in venues such as Carnegie Hall, LeFrak Concert Hall, Lincoln Center, Citi Field, Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, Sands Point Museum/Preserve, and many others. Mr. Norris is extremely grateful for the opportunity to work with these fine young vocalists!

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ABOUT THE PIANIST

Cara Verity (Nassau Chamber Chorale and Suffolk Treble Choir) received her Bachelor of Music Degree from Butler University and her Master’s Degree in Music Education from Hofstra University. She currently serves as Music Teacher at Miller Avenue School in the Shoreham-Wading River Central School District, where she founded the K-2 choral and musical theater program.
In addition to accompanying the Nassau Chamber Chorale since 2007 and Suffolk Treble Choir since 2022, Mrs. Verity has been accompanying youth and collegiate vocal ensembles for more than twenty years, including various SCMEA, NMEA, and All-County festival choirs. She has also been teaching privately for 25 years, preparing and/or accompanying many singers and instrumentalists for NYSSMA festivals, college entrance auditions, competitions, and collegiate-level recitals.
Prior to teaching full-time, Mrs. Verity worked at professional theaters across the country as a musical director, director, and choreographer. She also spent many years developing and running youth theater programs for ages 5-18.

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