Want to raise your voice in choral harmony? Ready to join a passionate group of individuals who want to entertain and advocate for diversity? Then you’re in the right place.
To audition please email audition@rcmc.org. A chorus representative will connect with you to set up an audition day and time. In the meantime, you can read the following FAQs for any audition questions you might have.
What is the audition process?
Do I have to have a strong musical background to sing with RCMC?
Although basic singing ability is required, you don’t need to have a long, impressive singing resume. The chorus is made up of people with diverse musical backgrounds, ranging from chorus first-timers to those who hold advanced music degrees. The most important thing to have is a love of singing.
How often does RCMC rehearse?
How often does RCMC perform?
The chorus has two main concerts each season: a holiday concert in December and a Summer concert in June. In addition to our main concerts, the chorus usually does 2-4 smaller community engagement performances during each session.
How much does it cost to join the chorus?
The session fees and cost for performance wardrobe are waived for youth 23 and under; however, the annual dues of $25 are still required.
Is financial assistance available?
Yes! The Ryan-Knicely Scholarship Fund, established in memory of beloved former chorus member Peggy Ryan and her partner Nan Knicely, is available to anyone who qualifies. Its intent is to remove cost barriers for those who wish to sing with us. The scholarship can be used to cover the costs of session fees and performance wardrobe; however, the annual dues of $25 and any cost for alterations are still the responsibility of the singer. Members can request financial assistance by filling out the assistance request form at the beginning of the session. The form is then sent to our board of directors for review and approval.
If singing is not your thing but you would still like to be a part of the RCMC family, you can join our group, Fifth Voice, which is composed of non-singing RCMC members who volunteer at our concerts and events.
You’ll find Fifth Voice members busy ushering audience members, managing our raffle and silent auction tables, organizing reception spaces, and stepping forward to do other vital activities that ensure the best possible experience at all of our shows.
If you would like to join Fifth Voice, email us at volunteer@rcmc.org.
River City Mixed Chorus
P.O. Box 3267
Omaha, NE 68103
402-341-7464
contact@rcmc.org
Mission
Creating exceptional musical experiences to support diversity, inspire change, and empower communities.
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Adam Witte
Assistant Artistic Director
Adam Witte has never been one to shy away from a music genre or musical instrument. His tastes, talent, and curiosity run far and wide, taking him on adventures across Europe playing euphonium solos with the University of Nebraska-Omaha Symphonic Wind Ensemble, guiding him to sing acapella vocal jazz with Nexus, and prompting him to play keyboards with local band The Confidentials. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Omaha with an emphasis in euphonium.
Though his musical accomplishments are long and varied, vocal music has played a big role in Adam’s journey. He has always been involved in church music, from singing in the choir to playing piano and handbells; most recently, he served as Director of Music Ministries at St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church in Omaha for seven and a half years. It only seems fitting that Adam became a singing member of River City Mixed Chorus only to be named Assistant Artistic Director a short year later. In addition to his engagements with RCMC and Nexus, Adam is also a singing member of the Omaha vocal ensemble Resonance.
Dr. A. Barron Breland
Artistic Director
With degrees in Music Theory and Choral Conducting from the University of Georgia and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Dr. A. Barron Breland has a diverse background in many different fields of music, including the piano and saxophone. Currently, he is Professor of Music and Chair of the Department of Fine & Performing Arts at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, conducting their premiere ensemble, the Creighton University Chamber Choir, and teaching classes in music theory, history, and conducting.
Breland is in demand throughout the Midwest as a conductor, chorusmaster, clinician, and adjudicator, and he has prepared choruses for Grammy and Tony-winning artists such as Laura Benanti, John Mellencamp, Brian d’Arcy James, and conductors Dale Warland and Ted Sperling. Breland has also served as Chorusmaster and prepared numerous works for the Omaha Symphony, including Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Carmina Burana, Elijah, Messiah, and many others.
Breland’s first exposure to professional choral music was as a member of the Atlanta Boy Choir where he performed with Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, as well as in tours and festivals throughout Europe. Today, besides his leadership of the Creighton University Chamber Choir and RCMC, he is also the Music Director of Résonance, a semi-professional chorus whose debut album Pilgrimage was released in July 2020 on the MSR Classics label.
Breland became the Artistic Director of the River City Mixed Chorus in January 2011, and in his 10-year tenure with the organization the ensemble has grown to over 120 active singing members, has headlined conferences and performed alongside Grammy-winning Conspirare, and has taken the stages of historic and iconic venues around the region. All of the ensembles under Breland’s leadership perform regularly with the Omaha Symphony, and all have performed at state and regional ACDA, and NMEA conferences.
Travis Mullins
Chorus Manager
Unlike the majority of RCMC’s members, Travis Mullins is never one for the spotlight. If he had it his way, he would forever remain behind the scenes (and curtains), busy working on managing the chorus’s day-to-day operations.
So how does a reserved intellect who doesn’t sing and prefers the audience seat to the stage find himself as the manager of a performance organization? For starters, he’s a big proponent of the arts and the positive effects it has on the community. He also believes that, as the state’s first and currently only LGBTQ+ chorus, RCMC’s messages need to be heard. And, his husband happens to be RCMC’s Artistic Director, Dr. A. Barron Breland, so the chorus was a part of his life before he became a part of its life.
Travis first served for four years as treasurer on RCMC’s Board of Directors while also volunteering his time on the chorus’s fundraising and marketing committees. His management experience and accounting skills didn’t go unnoticed, and in 2016 he was hired on with the official title Chorus Manager. During his free time, you can find him attending rehearsals and performances, proudly watching on as his favorite performers sing their hearts out.
Keith Hart
Collaborative Pianist
Keith Hart was a public school music teacher in a previous life. As much as he loved the job and working with kids, he felt an undeniable tug from the theater world. He set his sights on a graduate degree in theatre, and worked on productions at various theaters in Kansas City.
With production experience under his belt, Keith moved to Omaha, Nebraska where he has worked as a pianist, musical director, and scenic designer for numerous theatrical productions. He also holds down a day job as Manager of Programs at Joslyn Castle.
The piano has been a constant in Keith’s life. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in music education with an emphasis in piano from Northwest Missouri State University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. His love of accompanying and playing with a wide range of soloists, ensembles, and choirs led him to River City Mixed Chorus in 2015, joining the organization as Collaborative Pianist.