You may not already know about Levana, but now you can. Levana, FSU’s treble choir, is a talented, hard-working, and supportive community of singers. Each semester, these singers dedicate themselves to learning, perfecting, and performing choral music at FSU and in the Tallahassee community.
I’m someone who’s always loved to sing, and I’ve been in choirs since I was in elementary school. Coming to college, I decided to major in English, but I wanted to continue singing and keep my passion for music alive. During the spring semester of my freshman year, I joined Levana, and I’m so glad that I did.
What is Levana?
Levana is one of FSU’s choir ensembles, featuring soprano and alto voices. I sing soprano 1, the highest voice section, and I love hearing the harmonies each section creates together. Levana is under the direction of the fabulous Dr. McKenna Stenson, three graduate assistants who help instruct, and a collaborative pianist.
“Levana, an advanced treble choir at Florida State University, is an empowering ensemble of treble voices dedicated to artistic excellence and personal growth. Through a dynamic repertoire spanning historical and contemporary composers, Levana explores meaningful themes that inspire and uplift, creating a musical space where members find strength, connection, and voice,” Stenson shared.
Levana’s community aspect is a large part of what makes it so special. The group shares a strong bond, and its members strive to uplift one another. I always love getting to know the people who sing next to me each semester. Within Levana, singers are grouped in “families” that encourage friendship and feelings of belonging. Additionally, each semester, Levana has a retreat where singers not only rehearse together but also participate in bonding activities to strengthen relationships.
Upcoming Concerts
Levana’s fall concert, “When I Breathe, I Hope,” will be on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m. in Opperman Music Hall, which is in the Kuersteiner Music Building (KMU). This concert’s admission is free for all, and it’ll have some very nice pieces that they’ll be performing, so you won’t want to miss them. Levana’s fall concert is sure to be impactful and impressive.
Levana will also be performing in FSU’s Seasonal Celebration, among other FSU choirs. This holiday concert will be in Ruby Diamond Concert Hall on Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for this concert may be purchased on the College of Music website.
Looking to the future, Levana has another exciting performance coming up on Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. in the Ruby Diamond Concert Hall alongside the Tallahassee Community Chorus. Levana will be singing composer Andrea Ramsey’s Suffrage Cantata about women’s suffrage, honoring the women who fought for voting rights.
How to Join
If you’re interested in joining Levana, I absolutely encourage you to do so! You can sign up for the class with the course code MUN2320. Levana meets on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1:25 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. Auditioning isn’t required, and it’s open to both music majors and non-music majors. I hope to see you there!
Levana is a truly exceptional group of singers that I’m so glad to be a part of. Please consider attending a Levana performance in the future, and if you like to sing, consider joining the choir. You can follow along with what Levana is up to on the Levana Instagram account.
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