Daniel Bara, director of choral activities and a professor in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, has been named the John D. Boyd UGA Foundation Professor in Choral Music.
Bara oversees seven choral ensembles, including the UGA Hodgson Singers and the University Chorus as well as the graduate choral conducting program. He also is the youth and student activities chairman for the Southern Division chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.
“Dr. Bara is among the finest choral conductors in the country and, indeed, in the world,” said Dale Monson, director of the Hodgson School. “He attracts top talent among aspiring young conductors and singers to UGA to study with him, and his concerts are absolutely brilliant, among the highlights of our season.”
Bara’s choirs have performed by juried invitation for state, regional and national conventions of the American Choral Directors Association, the National Association for Music Education and the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses National Seminar. In 2014, the UGA Hodgson Singers won the Grand Prix at the International Choral Competition Ave Verum in Baden, Austria.
“In just a few years, Dr. Bara has created a culture of excellence within the choral department by inspiring his students to perform at the highest possible level,” said Stephanie Bacastow, a third-year member and president of the Hodgson Singers. “His vast knowledge of repertoire and historical context along with his expressive conducting gesture foster a professional atmosphere in every rehearsal. Most importantly, he takes a personal interest in each student and never fails to be a constant source of encouragement and positivity.”
