Kansas State University was founded February 16, 1863. Since that time, instruction in music has been a feature throughout the history of the school. From the earliest performance of the "Choral Union" in 1865, Kansas State University Choral ensembles have been a vital and visible entity to the more than 24,000 students at KSU every year. Currently, the Choral Music Division is led by Dr. Joshua Oppenheim and Dr. Julie Yu - Co-Directors of Choral Activities. Highlights of the KSU Choirs include: premiere performances of Gail Kubik’s "A Record of Our Time" with the Minnesota Symphony and Ulysses Kay’s "Parables" for the American Choral Directors Association’s convention in Kansas City, MO. Since 1966, the choir has been selected thirty-two times to appear before state, regional and national conventions of the American Choral Directors Association, Music Educators National Conference, Music Teachers National Association and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. The KSU Choirs have worked with notable conductors: Robert Shaw, John Alldis, Roger Wagner and Aaron Copland. International performances include: (1972) Paris, Vienna, Zagreb, Belgrade, Prague, Berlin, London and Salzburg; (1980, 1983, 1994) Wales, England; (1985, 1996) Germany, Austria; (1987) Switzerland; (1989) Australia; (1992) Netherlands, Belgium; (2009) Prague, Austria; and (2011) Rome, Florence, Venice.
