Ithaca, NY--After spending spring break performing at venues throughout New York and New Jersey, the Ithaca College Choir, led by Lawrence Doebler, will return home and present its tour program at Ithaca College on Saturday, March 19. The free performance will begin at 8:15 p.m. in Ford Hall in the James J. Whalen Center for Music.

Based around the theme of "Imagination," the varied program includes Ralph Vaughan William's Mass in G minor, a work by Dan Welcher commissioned by the choir entitled "Leaves of Grass," music of René Clausen and Eric Whitacre, and arrangements of spirituals by Moses Hogan.

The choir's spring tour began on February 27 and took the group to seven venues. A seasoned ensemble, the choir has toured extensively on the East Coast and Midwest, and in 2002 traveled to Ireland for a series of concerts and workshops in Galway, Limerick, and Cork. In addition, the group has presented major concerts at music educators' conventions at Carnegie Hall, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and Alice Tully Hall in the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

In each of the last 25 years, the choir has premiered works that have been published by Theodore Presser as part of the Ithaca College Choral Series. Many distinguished composers have accepted the commission, including Vincent Persichetti, Karel Husa, William Schuman, Peter Schickele, Chen Yi, and most recently Daniel Dorff.

Lawrence Doebler is a professor of music and director of choral activities in the School of Music, where he is currently in his 26th year. Early training in keyboard, strings, voice, and brass led him to degrees in conducting from Oberlin Conservatory and Washington University in St. Louis. Doebler began his professional teaching career in 1969 at Smith College. From 1971 through 1978 he taught and conducted at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. In addition to his academic appointments, he currently serves as music director of the Cayuga Vocal Ensemble.

The Ithaca College School of Music offers some 300 free concerts each academic year. More information on these performances is available by calling (607) 274-3717 or visiting www.ithaca.edu/concerts.