DENTON (UNT), Texas -- The famed A Cappella Choir in UNT's College of Music will travel to the International Choral Festival in Daejeon, South Korea, Sept. 14- 16. The ensemble is the only American choir invited to participate, and will perform alongside professional groups from Germany, Taiwan, South Korea and a world-famous children's chorus from Norway.

"This is a great thrill for our students who will be able to see a part of the world they may never have been able to experience otherwise," said Regents Professor Jerry McCoy, who directs the A Cappella Choir and serves as director of choral studies at UNT.

Following performances in Daejeon, the choir will sing a concert in Incheon, a suburb of Seoul, South Korea.

The A Cappella Choir will perform a "Bon Voyage" concert at 8 p.m. on Sept. 9 (Sunday) in Winspear Hall, just before departing for the festival. The performance will feature music the choir will sing during their trip to South Korea, with a selection of works from a variety of cultures. The program includes a set of African-American spirituals, folk songs and Korean and Venezuelan songs, as well as Cantus Missae by Joseph Rheinberger, Leonardo Dreams of his Flying Machine by Eric Whitacre, and Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen by Gustav Mahler.

Proceeds from the event will go toward travel funds to attend the festival in South Korea.

Next spring the choir will perform in Dallas at the national conference of the American Choral Directors Association as one of six university choirs from the U.S. chosen by a blind audition process.

The 52-voice A Cappella Choir is selected by competitive audition from among the most talented vocalists in UNT's College of Music. Founded in 1938 by Wilfred Bain, the choir has enjoyed a rich performance history including a three-month tour of Europe under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of State in 1966. The choir was featured on the closing concert of the 2005 American Choral Directors Association national convention in Los Angeles and on the 1999 national convention in Chicago, and has made numerous appearances at conventions of the Texas Music Educators Association.

About the UNT College of Music
The UNT College of Music is one of the largest and most respected comprehensive music schools in the country. About 1,500 music students attend UNT each year, participating in more than 40 widely varied ensembles and pursuing specialized studies in performance, composition, music education or music scholarship. UNT faculty members and students have made appearances on the world's finest stages and have produced numerous recordings, many receiving Grammy awards and nominations. Distinguished UNT alumni can be found around the globe, in top music ensembles, opera companies, universities and schools.

Editor's note: The A Cappella Choir also will perform at a free concert at 8 p.m. Sept. 7 (Friday) in Winspear Hall, where advance photos ahead of the ensemble's Sept. 9 (Sunday) performance can be taken.