You are invited to experience the Centenary College Choir in a free concert this Friday, January 9, 2026 at 7pm in the beautiful sanctuary of First United Methodist Church of Alexandria. This globe-trotting choir, having now sung in over 35 countries across the world, is one of the enduring legacies of Centenary College. Their diverse travel agenda is mirrored by an eclectic repertoire, ranging from Bach to Broadway, folk to classical, spirituals to hymns and so much more.
This year’s concert program opens with a rhythmic setting of the swahili O Sifuni Mungu. Nods to the College’s Methodist heritage follow with famous Charles Wesley hymns O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing and And Can it Be that I Should Gain, settings by Eric Nelson and Dan Forrest, respectively. Student soloist Nina Guerrero is featured on the spiritual Ain’t Got Time to Die and the Choir offers the powerful prayer, Let There Be Peace On Earth and the always entertaining Shaker Dance. Other portions of the program present some of the group’s historic favorites, such as O King all Glorious by Healey Willan, the pastoral Homeward Bound arrangement by Mack Wilberg, Daniel Gawthrop’s exquisite Sing Me to Heaven, and a musical theater favorite, Rhythm of Life.
Yet the climax of the program will surely be the continued premiere of the Bicentennial anthem, Labor Omnia Vincit, music composed by Centenary alumnus and current faculty member, Dr. James Eakin. The text offered by Dr. Eakin’s oft collaborator, Charles Anthony Silvestri, is based on the colleges motto, which translates as “work conquers all.” Full of wonderful allusions to the ideals, geography, and history of the college, the work is an exciting piece, joyful in spirit, and inspiring reflections for both past and future success.
The annual schedule of the Choir usually finds the group offering around 35 performances in an array of tour concerts, college ceremonies, church and alumni relations programs, recruitment activities, and other Shreveport/Bossier City community events. Fall highlights of the 2025-26 season include the aforementioned Rhapsody in View and special Christmas performances including the annual television program broadcast throughout the Ark-La-Tex. In February, the Choir will join Emmett Hook Center’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as well as participate in the College’s community Easter Sunrise service. The Choir’s year ends with a robust tour of Central Europe, offering concerts in Poland, Hungary, and Austria.
The students of the Choir come from many areas of the nation and other countries and represent most of the academic majors offered by the College. Members of the Choir receive one of the finest college educations possible while making enduring friendships as a part of the Choir family and tradition. Members are selected by auditions held throughout the year for the following academic term. Persons wishing to audition should contact the director of the choir or Hurley School of Music to arrange an appointment. The Choir offers scholarships for all its members. For those interested in majoring in music, the College offers extensive music degrees with several optional areas of emphasis, including performance, choral music, and composition.