BYU Choirs - Past Choirs

Past Choirs

The BYU Madrigal Singers were formed in 1951 under the direction of John R. Halliday. Halliday (1911–1988) had bachelor's and master's degrees in music from BYU and a Ph.D. from Eastman School of Music. He had also for a time been assistant director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir under J. Spencer Cornwall. For the 10 years prior to the forming of the Madrigal Singers, Halliday had been the director of the BYU band. The Madrigal Singers toured extensively during the 1950s. The BYU Oratorio Choir was formed in 1961, also under Halliday's direction, with the goal of performing oratorios, cantatas and the like. Other BYU singing groups organized between 1951 and 1975 included the BYU Chamber Choir, the Golden Age Singers, the BYU A Capella Choir, the BYU Opera Workshop Chorus, and Scola Cantorum.