The Wisconsin Singers was named Official Ambassador of Goodwill for the UW in 1967 and charged to represent the Wisconsin Experience through music outreach. The Singers program has served the statewide community by providing professional entertainment, free workshops for local students, and an opportunity to bring service organizations, area school children, and communities together to raise dollars through family-friendly entertainment events. Singers shares the stage with more than 1,000 public school students as “guest artists” each year such as Adaptive Music Students (Janesville), Boys and Girls Clubs (Baraboo) and dozens of grades 3-12 show choirs, vocal jazz, and instrumental ensembles.
In 1994, Wisconsin Singers was a casualty of the first of the state funding cuts to our University, with the School of Music citing curricular priorities tied to classical, rather than popular music. Friends of Wisconsin Singers, Inc. was founded to provide financial support, philosophical guidance, and volunteer assistance for the program. All funding to continue the class and performing events is the responsibility of this supporting non-profit.
The mission of the Wisconsin Singers program is to provide quality education in American popular music performance and entertainment management through nationwide family-friendly touring shows that provide intentional training in leadership, communication, and relationship building skills so that participating students will have a greater impact on the world through their chosen career. For the past fifty years, we have crafted leaders that have made a difference in their own communities as business leaders, service organization volunteers, and musicians, having learned the value of giving back through their own Wisconsin Singers Experience.
Private support continues to be critical in keeping this nationally renowned collegiate song and dance troupe funded. Your support will help to maintain and strengthen the quality of the program and its leadership, communication, and relationship building skills, the service component offered to K-12 music partners around the country, and the scholarship program for deserving Wisconsin Singers performers.