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Jess Wade III: 20 Years of Music
By Valerie Markert

With all of the new technology out there, it is very easy to jam out to your favorite tunes at home, in the car, and at work. But for Jess Wade, Assistant Coordinator of Choral Activities at Texas A&M University for the last 20 years, it is more than that. Music is his career and has been a part of his life since he was a kid. It all started with an invitation to sing with a college choir when he was in high school.

“It was probably with that experience that I realized how powerful and beautiful choral music can be. The college conductor was charismatic and had a way to elicit incredible music from even the most untrained voices. I knew that was what I wanted to do as my vocation,” Wade said.

Growing up singing and playing the piano has led Wade to a career of directing three major choirs at Texas A&M and in the community; The Brazos Valley Chorale, The Century Singers, and The Women’s Chorus.

The Brazos Valley Chorale is the community chorus here in the Bryan/College Station area. It has grown from a choir of about 40 singers 20 years ago to a range of 90-110 voices, depending on the concert and the season. It is an auditioned, volunteer choir of people with a wide range of musical backgrounds. Singers expected into the choir commit to weekly preparations for top-notch performances.

The Century Singers is the 80-voice, auditioned, mixed concert choir of the university. They perform major works with the Brazos Valley Chorale, Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra, a university holiday concert, a weekend tour in Texas, a spring concert, and produce their own showcase, featuring student-lead variety show. There is a select 8-voice ensemble from this choir called the Century Sounds, an a cappella group comprised of 4 men and 4 women.
The Women’s Chorus is the 65-voice, auditioned, all-female choir of the university. They participate in the Texas Collegiate Women’s Choral Festival each year, an event that began here at Texas A&M and now travels to various campuses each year. They also sing in the annual holiday concert, a weekend tour of Texas, and perform their own spring concert. The 9-voice, One A-Chord, is a small group from within the choir that typically does a more popular repertoire.

Not only has Wade conducted his choirs in the Brazos Valley, he has also traveled abroad to showcase his choirs. “Each of the choirs at A&M goes on an international performing tour once every three years. Our travels have taken us to China, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, The Czech Republic, Austria, Canada, and Greece,” Wade said.

Jess Wade is not retiring from directing choral music any time soon. To experience a performance this year, or to learn more about how to join one of the choirs he directs, please visit the websites listed below.

Brazos Valley Chorale: www.bvchorale.org
Women’s Chorus: http://wchorus.tamu.edu
Century Singers: http://centurysingers.tamu.edu