Vocal Music Performing Ensembles

Sing at Butler.

Our large Ensembles and Quartets include:

• Concert Choir
• Headliners 
• Chamber Singers
• A Cappella
• Butler Ladies
• Smorgaschords (Barbershop Quartet)
• Noteables (Ladies Quartet)

You don’t have to be a music major to audition. You just have to love making music!

All Butler students have the opportunity to audition for our 120-voice Concert Choir, which meets Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12 p.m. – 12:55 p.m. Scholarship students who audition for our program fill the small ensembles, which offer more extensive performance opportunities. For information on auditioning for a Vocal Music Scholarship, visit the Fine Arts Scholarship information page.  If you'd like to read about our directors, visit our Vocal Music Faculty page.

The Concert Choir is a 120-voice ensemble and is directed by Matthew Udland. It is the largest auditioned group and all scholarship students are members of this select ensemble. The Concert Choir performs at all home concerts and also has the opportunity to perform with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra at Century II and Music Theatre of Wichita. The Concert choir performs a wide variety of concert literature and members have the chance to volunteer in the community.

The nationally-acclaimed Headliners show choir is directed by Valerie Lippoldt-Mack. The mixed group is comprised of 36 singers, dancers and instrumentalists. They perform throughout the year at community functions, including local, state and national conventions. The Headliners also host the annual Show Choir Festival each November, which is a workshop for more than 400 high school students. The Headliners have established alumni in every performance field and are proud of these Butler alums.

Chamber Singers are directed by Chad Ingram. This is a select ensemble that performs a wide variety of traditional choral literature as well as Master works. They perform at all home concerts, as well as at many private and public concerts around the Wichita area.

A Cappella is directed by Matthew Udland. This select group of 8-10 singers and a beatboxer work together with Mr. Udland on arrangements of unique voices-only versions of pop songs. These singers also learn mic management and sound set-up.  A Cappella members must have excellent ears and be able to learn music quickly and sight-read at a high level.

The Butler Ladies show choir is women's show choir with an instrumental combo. These ladies perform a variety of music for home concerts, from pop music to classic Broadway tunes and have the opportunity to work with various directors, choreographers and master teachers.

The Smorgaschords is the men’s barbershop quartet directed by Valerie Lippoldt-Mack. A breakout group from the Headliners, this quartet performs throughout the community and around the state. The Smorgaschords have a rich history of barbershop performance and partner with the internationally ranked SmorgasChorus, which was derived from past Smorgaschords quartet members.

The Noteables is the lady’s quartet and also a breakout group form the Headliners. This quartet performs throughout the community and around the state. This quartet is in high demand to perform at local and state-wide events. The Noteables also has the opportunity to compete in barbershop conventions and competitions.