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Women's Choir at SU v UConn Game 2/6/08
About the Choir
The Syracuse University Women’s Chorus is the largest School of Music choral ensemble of university students. Under the direction of Dr. Barbara Tagg since 1996, the ensemble has become known for its innovative and versatile programming drawing on music from various historical periods and contemporary compositions representing many different styles and cultures. Women’s Choir members are drawn from undergraduate and graduate music majors and non-music majors from across the campus. 
The Mandarins, a select a cappella ensemble founded in 1996 by music education major Natasha Schmemann, are auditioned from the Women’s Choir each semester and perform regularly on the Women’s Choir concerts and other events. Under the direction of Kelly Stallard, the Mandarins began After Hours, a concert of campus a cappella groups presented each semester. In the fall of 2002 they sang at the SU Chancellor’s Home for a Homecoming event and in December 2002 and 2003 they were guest artists for the Solstice at the Cathedral Concert.
In 2002 Ms. Stallard won the Award for Best Arrangement at their first regional competition of the International Championship of Collegiate A cappella sponsored by Varsity Vocals. At the same competition in 2003 under the direction of Melissa Rashford they were finalists at the University of Delaware and proceeded to Dickinson University for the national semi-finals where Stallard’s arrangements took another award. Under Rashford’s leadership and assisted by Rachel Roy, the ensemble achieved national recognition during the 2003-2004 season when they competed in the Finals as one of the top six groups in the country (and one of only two women’s ensembles) at the national competition held at Town Hall in New York City in April 2004.