The Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra is proud to announce its intent to begin the formation of the Fairbanks Symphony Chorus. The chorus will be comprised of volunteer singers from the Fairbanks and surrounding community area.
We are fortunate to have Mr. Emerson Eads as the chorus director. 
Emerson has a long history with the maestro Eduard Zilberkant and The Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra preparing the Whitestone Choir for performances of Verdi's Requiem, Beethoven's Choral Fantasy and Beethoven's 9th Symphony. With the Whitestone Choir he toured Alaska, recorded Handel's Messiah and an album of choral favorites. In 2002, he conducted Verdi's Requiem in Varna, Bulgaria with Bass-baritone Richard Conant. He had the opportunity in March to conduct the ACDA's Conductor's Choir.
Emerson conducted the Whitestone Choir, and the Whitestone High School Choir for 6 years before serving as Chorus Master for Opera Fairbanks' productions of Puccini's Madame Butterfly, Rossini's La Cenerentola, and Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore. Emerson was music director of Opera Fairbanks' recent production of Menotti's The Telephone.
As an educator he adjudicated and guest conducted the Mass Choir and Honor Choirs at Alaska's Region II music festivals in 2010 and 2012.
Also in demand as a tenor soloist, Emerson performed the tenor role in Beethoven's 9th Symphony this summer with the Kenai Symphony Orchestra. He studies voice with Dr. Jaunelle Celaire and has guest conducted the University of Alaska Fairbanks Chorus in her absence.
He studied conducting with maestro Markand Thakar, and conducted the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra. He has had the pleasure of conducting UAF's 64.8 ensemble with guest artists Bob Becker and Anders Astrand in performances of Varèse' Ionisation. He studied composition with Adlai Burman and John Luther Adams. He was recently commissioned by Opera Fairbanks to write Homeland for orchestra, mixed choir, and soloists for the commemoration of 50th Anniversary of Alaska's Statehood. His compositions have been performed at the National Saxophone Conference, by University Faculty, Dr Jun Watabe, also by the BBC brass in London, University of Iceland Reykjavik's Choir and members of the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra.
Emerson is thrilled at the opportunity to work with this brand new choral group! He plans to hold a meet and greet for all of those who want to be a part of the chorus. While that date hasn't quite yet been made concrete, we are happy to contact those interested in joining the chorus to let them know when the meet and greet will be (most likely in Fall of 2012). Click here to sign up!
The first scheduled performances for the FSC will be the Design Alaska Holiday Concert on December 2, 2012 with the program to be announced, as well as April 26 & 28th, 2013 performing Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra.