Tours, recording sessions, basketball games and Madrigal dinners are just a few of the highlights from this year’s choral program.

“I think it was a great year,” says Jim Currans, senior in management information systems. “I’ve gotten nothing but good comments from everyone who talked to me.”

Currans, who sings bass II for the Iowa Statesmen, the Iowa State Singers and Shy of a Dozen (a 10-member, male pop group), says two events stuck out in his mind from this past year.

He enjoyed singing “The Star Spangled Banner” at men’s basketball games along with other members from Statesmen. About 100 singers stepped onto the court in tuxedos, he recalls.

Currans also liked being part of the Madrigal dinner that is put on every year in January at Iowa State. The Iowa State Singers, music faculty and community members provided the evening’s entertainment during the dinner. Each person played a particular role. It is similar to a king’s feast, which would have been a common event during the Renaissance.

Alyssa Ruhs, a junior in art and design and psychology, says the highlight of the year for her was the tour her choir went on.

Cantamus Women’s Choir toured to Minnesota this spring to perform at Eastview High School in Apple Valley and Normandale Lutheran Church in Edina.

Ruhs, who sings alto II, says the experience allowed the community to hear the choir and it gave prospective students an idea of what the choral program is like at Iowa State.

Cantamus also recorded a CD while it was on tour.

Ruhs recalls the acoustics Normandale Lutheran Church had. “The sound was amazing,” she says.

Currans is proud of Statesmen and the quality of music it performed.

He says the music is very challenging and people don’t expect that from a men’s choir.

“We’re getting a high quality sound coming out of us,” he says.

Currans is also proud of all the choirs (Iowa State Singers, Iowa Statesmen, Cantamus and Lyrica) for being part of a memorial service held on campus, which honored those who died on Sept. 11.

The choirs sang many songs including “America the Beautiful.” It was quite emotional, Currans says.

Cantamus has been productive this year, Ruhs says.

The women worked hard to memorize and perform a large program. The performances were a big success and the choir received great responses from the audience, she says.

“Because we’re all very confident with the music, we can put on a good performance for the audience,” she says.

Both Ruhs and Currans enjoy performing for friends and family.

“We’re able to create a great performance for friends and family to hear,” Ruhs says.

The two members also agree choir has brought them closer to their classmates.

Currans says the people who are part of the Iowa State Singers have become like a family. Everyone gets to know each other really well.

“I feel that as a choir we’ve become unified over the year,” Ruhs says.

“It’s made us all closer.”