Taking the Choral Program to New Heights: Dr. Jeffrey Benson
By Daniela Garza
Since coming to San José State University in 2011, Dr. Jeffrey Benson has led what many might call a star-studded life. Benson, who earned his doctorate in choral conducting and music education from Florida State University, directs the Choraliers, an elite, audition-only chamber ensemble comprised of thirty-two undergraduate and graduate students. Last year, the ensemble was offered the opportunity of a lifetime: to perform onstage with the Rolling Stones.
“We got to be backstage with Mick Jagger,” said Dr. Jeffrey Benson, Director of Choral Activities at San José State University. When the Rolling Stones needed vocal backup for their Northern California tour dates, they reached out to the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). The Stones “asked their buddies in southern California, ‘Who’s the best choice in northern California?’ and the Choraliers were highly recommended.”
The highly esteemed choral director received the call from London last April, a month before the Rolling Stones’ “50 & Counting” tour hit California. He said, “We got the call saying, ‘Come sing with us in Oakland and San José.'”
Benson, who has directed the Choraliers since 2011, announced the news to the ensemble at the next rehearsal. “The students were ecstatic,” he said. “We were all on cloud nine.” Together with the rock ‘n’ roll legends, the choir performed the classic hit “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” twice, at the Oracle Arena in Oakland and at the SAP Center in San José.
Benson’s reputation as a top-notch choir director precedes him. In November of last year, the ensemble sang at the SAP Center, where they performed with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, the best-selling classical musician of all time. The Choraliers and the Concert Choir, which Benson also directs, were invited to provide backup vocals for eight numbers and to perform a song of their own. The sixty-member choir sang in front of 30,000 people at Bocelli’s sold-out concert.
The year 2014 already has seen the Choraliers performing on stage with Dionne Warwick and singing in ancient churches in England and France. The Choraliers went abroad this past summer for a two-week European tour, including London and Paris. “We rehearsed a lot for our sendoff concert in May,” he said. “We were very excited to perform in Europe for our big tour.”
Next up for the Choraliers? Spring 2015 performances at Carnegie Hall!
Sometimes, you can get what you want, but only with hard work and commitment. The Choraliers’ success also is made possible by donations that support scholarships, tours, and travel. So moral may be that, by working together to support student success, all of us can get what we want!
