Faith Choral Festival
October 1-2, 2026
Join us on campus with your singers in grades 9–12 for our annual choral festival, October 1-2, 2026. This festival is designed to help your choir improve musically and to foster camaraderie within your choir and with choral musicians from other schools. Individual students who are not part of a choir are also welcome to join.
Benefits of participation:
●Workshop sessions with guest clinician and composer Craig Courtney.
●Combined Choir Performance: Participation in a combined choir consisting of all participating choirs along with the Faith Chorale and Chamber Choir, under the direction of Dr. Christopher Ellis and Craig Courtney.
●Interest Sessions: Students and directors may attend interest sessions on a variety of topics such as vocal technique, practice strategies, accompanying, and more.
●Honor Choir Experience: Selected students from each ensemble, along with individual registrants, will form a festival Honor Choir that will rehearse and perform under the direction of Dr. Christopher Ellis and guest clinician and composer Craig Courtney.
Cost:
Register online by August 28, 2026. Space is limited to about 150 singers.
Registration Fees (due at registration, includes pre-concert meal):
- Choirs
- 1–15 singers: $300
- 16–30 singers: $350
- 31+ singers: $400
- Individuals: $25
Honor Choir Nominations & Auditions (24 singers maximum)
Directors may nominate up to four students per participating choir. Individual registrants may
also audition.
To apply:
- Record a video audition including
- A brief introduction (name, school, voice part)
- A prepared solo of the singer’s choice (1–2 minutes)
- A short excerpt of a major scale or simple vocalise
- Upload the video file to your preferred platform (YouTube unlisted link, Google Drive, etc.).
- Submit your audition video link using the Honor Choir application form by August 28, 2026
Selected singers will be notified by September 4, 2026.
Repertoire
COMING SOON!
Attire
Below is the recommended attire list. Festival concert attire is flexible; choirs may wear their existing formal concert outfits.
Casual attire can be worn for all activities except the concert.
Festival Concert attire
- Men:
- Black tuxedos or suits
- White dress shirt
- Black dress pants
- Black dress shoes
- Ladies:
- Black dresses, or skirt and dressy top (no T-shirts)
- Dress and skirt length must reach the top of the knee when sitting or standing. Slits may not be open above the top of the knees.
- Dress shoes (preferably flats)
- Black dresses, or skirt and dressy top (no T-shirts)
Casual attire
- All:
- Nice-looking pants or jeans (no rips, holes, or tears)
- Shorts (loose fitting and modest; length must reach three fingers above the knee)
- Modest shirts
- Athletic footwear, sneakers, and flip-flops can be worn
Clinicians and Workshop Presenters
Dr. Christopher Ellis
Dr. Christopher Ellis is the director of choral activities and music department chair at Faith Baptist Bible College, where he conducts the Faith Chorale, Chamber Choir, and Orchestra. Dr. Ellis has also been the music director at Ankeny Baptist Church since 2003. Prior to becoming the director of choral activities at Faith, Dr. Ellis was the artistic director of the Canticum Novum
Music Association Chorale and Orchestra.
Dr. Ellis earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sacred Music from Faith Baptist Bible College, a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from Faith Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from St. Cloud State University, and a Doctor of Arts in Choral Conducting and Music Education from Ball State University. He has studied conducting with Dr. R. Irving Van Hooser, Dr. Lee Nelson, and Dr. Andrew Crow.
Dr. Ellis is a frequent choral clinician, especially for Christian school and church choirs. He has led choir tours across the United States and Europe. He has made conducting appearances at Ball State University, Ohio State University, and Morehouse College in Atlanta.
Craig Courtney
Internationally known composer Craig Courtney is a native of Indiana and began playing the piano at the age of 3 and the cello at the age of 11. He received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano performance from the University of Cincinnati, studying piano under Raymond Dudley and chamber music under Walter Levin of the LaSalle Quartet. During that time, he was a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda Honorary Music Society.
Following a three-year stay in Milan, Italy, where Courtney studied the piano with Illonka Deckers, performed for the Associazione Musicale “Gustav Mahler,” and worked extensively as a vocal coach, he was invited to join the music faculty of the famed Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, serving as piano teacher and accompanist for the woodwind and brass department.
It was during this six-year period, while serving in the music ministry of the Salzburg International Baptist Church, that Courtney began directing a church choir and composing sacred choral music due to the unavailability of English language music. In 1985, his compositions came to the attention of John Ness Beck through the publication of his octavo, “Thy Will Be Done”, initiating a close working relationship between the two men that continued until Beck’s death in 1987. In making plans for the ongoing operation of Beckenhorst Press, Beck appointed Craig Courtney to assume his responsibilities as staff composer and editor.
At this point in time, Courtney’s published works include more than 400 choral octavos, nine vocal collections, three piano solo collections, and seven extended works for choir and orchestra. His music is performed worldwide and has been translated into multiple foreign languages. He has been a frequent recipient of ASCAP achievement awards and his composition “Peace I Give to You” was awarded first place in the 2003 John Ness Beck Foundation Competition. He is also in demand throughout the world as a choral clinician and featured composer.
Lodging
Faith has arrangements with local hotels, Airbnbs, and VRBOs for special rates. Just mention that you are a guest of Faith Baptist Bible College when you make your reservation. Visit our website to view all offers.
Meals
A light dinner on Friday is included in the registration fee. You can purchase meal tickets for Thursday dinner and Friday lunch (2 meals) for use in our dining hall. The discounted meal ticket packages cost $16 per person and are available until September 14, 2026. You may purchase meal tickets at registration or through a separate registration form that will be made available to you after securing your choir’s spot in the Festival. Meals can be purchased at the door for the full price (currently $11.50 per person per meal).
Schedule
| Thursday, October 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1:00 pm | Registration | Nettleton 103 -105 |
| 1:15 pm | Welcome Session | |
| 1:30 pm | Festival Chorus Rehearsal | |
| 2:30 pm | General Session- Craig Courtney | Nettleton 103-105 |
| 3:30 pm | Honor Choir Rehearsal | Nettleton 108 |
| Workshops (Festival Chorus Participants) | Various Locations | |
| 4:30 pm | Workshops | Various Locations |
| 5:30 pm | Dinner | Benson Hall/Local Restaurants |
| 6:30pm | Festival Chorus Rehearsal | Nettleton 103-105 |
| Friday, October 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 am | Attend College Chapel | Nettleton Center |
| 10:00 am | Visit College Classes | |
| 11:00 am | Visit College Classes | |
| Honor Choir Rehearsal | Nettleton 108 | |
| 12:00 pm | Lunch | Benson Hall/Local Restaurants |
| 1:00 pm | Festival Chorus Rehearsal | Nettleton Center |
| 2:30 pm | Workshops | Various Locations |
| 3:30 pm | Workshops | Various Locations |
| 4:30 pm | Rehearsal with Orchestra | Nettleton Center |
| 5:30 pm | Dinner Catered Meal Provided | Nettleton Center |
| 6:15 pm | Concert Prep (All) | Nettleton Center |
| 7:00 pm | Festival Concert | Nettleton Center |
