Dr. Jeffrey Allen Murdock launches the Yale Jubilee Chorale

Yale Jubilee Chorale

The Yale Institute of Sacred Music is pleased to announce the formation of the Yale Jubilee Chorale, a new 24-voice auditioned student ensemble devoted to the study and performance of Black sacred music. The inaugural leader of the ensemble is the renowned conductor, Dr. Jeffrey Allen Murdock, who began his appointment at Yale on July 1 as professor in the practice of sacred music at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music and Yale Divinity School and associate director of the Interdisciplinary Program in Music and the Black Church.

Situated within the Music and the Black Church program, the Yale Jubilee Chorale will preserve, perform, study, and advance the rich traditions of Black sacred music. Through performance, education, and community engagement, it will bring rigorous scholarship and artistic excellence into conversation with the faith, history, and lived experiences from which this music emerged. 

Jeffrey Murdock

Dr. Jeffrey Allen Murdock

The creation of the Chorale marks an important new dimension of Yale’s commitment to the study and practice of Black sacred music. Under Dr. Murdock’s direction, the ensemble will provide students with opportunities to engage deeply with the musical, cultural, historical, and theological traditions of the Black Church while developing their artistry as singers and musicians.

Dr. Murdock is an internationally acclaimed conductor, scholar, clinician, and author and a leading figure in Black sacred music. He joins Yale from the University of Arkansas, where he served as professor of music, director of choral activities, and founding director of the Arkansas Center for Black Music. He is the recipient of the 2021 GRAMMY Music Educator Award. Read the full announcement of Dr. Murdock’s appointment to Yale.

Audition for the Yale Jubilee Chorale

Yale students interested in auditioning for the inaugural Yale Jubilee Chorale should email Eric Donnelly to schedule an audition. Auditions will take place Monday, August 31, and Tuesday, September 1, from 12–5 p.m. in the Great Hall at Yale Divinity School. Auditions are 15 minutes and will include sight reading, pitch matching, and a brief interview. Students should prepare 30–60 seconds of a gospel piece they know and love and 30–60 seconds of a classical piece.

Visit the Yale Jubilee Chorale webpage.