Michael Ehrlich leads new Vocal Arts Ensemble

The Fairfax Choral Society (FCS) is pleased to introduce a second adult chorus, the Vocal Arts Ensemble, directed by Michael Ehrlich. The auditioned Vocal Arts Ensemble will begin in the 2018/2019 season with a focus on community involvement and outreach. The group will perform a variety of genres including traditional choral literature, American folksongs and spirituals, music of different cultures, vocal jazz and Broadway.

Michael Ehrlich recently retired as choral director after 31 years at W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax County. He has held leadership positions with the Virginia Choral Directors Association (VCDA) and the Virginia Music Educators Association (VMEA) for 20 years. He draws on many years of experience running large and complex events, including District and All-State Auditions, District Chorus, All-State Chorus, and District Choral Assessment. He has also been featured as a guest clinician for District and All-County choral events, and served as an adjudicator for numerous festivals and assessments.

The Vocal Arts Ensemble will provide a new opportunity for adult singers in Fairfax County to work on pieces other than choral masterworks. Michael brings strong experience in developing a choral program. At Woodson, chorus participation increased from just 35 to more than 250 students during his tenure. Michael’s deep community connections and experience with a diverse singer population make him the perfect fit for this exciting new effort with FCS.

FCS Artistic Director Thomas Colohan joins the FCS Board in welcoming Michael to the FCS family.