S.L. ensembles sweep international choir competition

There is no question in anybody's mind that Brady Allred works magic with his choirs. Over the years, his vocal ensembles have won every international competition they've entered.

And as of this weekend, Allred's winning streak is still unbroken.

Over the weekend, members of the Salt Lake Choral Artists and the Salt Lake Vocal Artists, SLCA's professional ensemble that Allred formed earlier this year, swept the Tolosa International Choir Competition in Spain, capping a successful two week tour to the Iberian peninsula.

The two choirs took first prize in each of the four categories of the competition:

Vocal Ensemble/Secular Music (SLVA)

Vocal Ensemble/Sacred Music (SLVA)

Mixed Choir/Polyphony (SLCA)

Mixed Choir/Folk Music (SLCA)

In addition, the Salt Lake Choral Artists also won the Audience Prize as the public's favorite choir at the competition.

Allred and his singer's return to Salt Lake City Tuesday evening (Nov. 2).

The next opportunity that local audiences will have to hear the choir will be on Dec. 18 in Libby Gardner Concert Hall, when SLCA will perform its annual Christmas concert.

The featured work will be Benjamin Britten's cantata "Saint Nicolas." Tickets for the event are priced at $25 for general admission and $10 for students and are available by calling 801-953-1793 or online at saltlakechoralartists.org.

e-mail: ereichel@desnews.com