The Ridgewater Concert Choir performs sacred and secular literature, from Renaissance madrigals to contemporary popular song arrangements.

• Bi-annual performance tour – past venues include Carnegie Hall, St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, the Chicago Temple and Comer Children’s Hospital
• Annual participation in Minnesota State College and University Fine Arts Festival
• Local performances throughout the year – collaborating with area ensembles like the West Central Singers and Willmar Area Symphonic Orchestra
• Community outreach – performing at local nursing homes and churches

Students from both the transfer and technical areas of the college are welcome to join. Students who participate in Concert Choir (MUSC 0100) earn one credit for participation.

Science Shows Choir Will Make You Feel Better

• Group singing releases oxytocin, a chemical that manages anxiety and stress.
• Music lowers cortisol, a chemical that signals level of stress.
• Singers often experience a rush or “singer’s high” due in part to a surge of endorphins.
• Music releases serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of euphoria and contentment.
• Listening to music releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain associated with feelings of pleasure and alertness.