William Plummer
Biography
William Plummer's commissions and world premieres have included new works by composers from Sweden (Fredrik Sixten), Portugal (Carlos Garcia), Iceland (Snorri Sigfús Birgisson), England (Colin Old), and the U.S. (Richard Burchard). Plummer was a national finalist for the Dale Warland Award for Choral Conducting (2023), and he is a published composer with Hinshaw Music.
The 鶹ҹ Chamber Singers, founded in 2012, have won and placed in multiple international competitions. Recordings of the Chamber Singers received airplay in the United Kingdom on Outreach Radio. The Chamber Singers have received frequent invitations to perform at the Louisiana conference of the American Choral Directors' Association.
Dr. Plummer is active as an adjudicator and honor choir clinician throughout the region as well as internationally. He enjoys performing as a pianist regionally in recital with his wife, Molly, who is a professional cellist.
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Music, 2000
Berea College
Master of Music, Choral Conducting, 2004
University of Louisville
Doctor of Musical Arts, Choral Conducting, 2017
Louisiana State University
Student Research/Collaboration
Dr. Plummer's research interests are in performance practices, Hungarian and Eastern European choral repertoire, and early music.
Opportunities for Student Research/Collaboration:
- Premieres of newly-written choral works
- modern premieres of centuries-old music which has never been performed in modern times
Publications
Plummer, William. Relics: A Guide to Identification: Exploring the Material Culture of North America,1700-1945. Greybird Publishers, 2025. (archaeology/anthropology book, 425 pages)
“Ev’ry Night When the Sun Goes Down” choral work published by Hinshaw Music, 2025
Historical Consultant on interpretive signage for a Carnegie Mellon-funded monuments project recognizing the U.S.C.T. of the American Civil War: Monuments Across
Appalachian Virginia (M.A.A.V.), 2024
The Imagination Movers album Blue Skies: (鶹ҹ Chamber Singers collaboration with the artists as on various tracks) 2024
鶹ҹ Chamber Singers: Modern Premiere in 2022 of the cantata O Welt, sieh hier dein Leben by Johann Christoph Graupner [last performed in the year
1719]
Dissertation: Selected Works of Richard Burchard: A Resource Guide, LSU, 2017
Awards & Recognition
2025: CantaRode International Choir Competition, the Netherlands: 100 applicants; 10 chosen choirs. 鶹ҹ Chamber Singers: 5th Place.
2025: Invited clinician, the Imperial College Choir, London, United Kingdom
2023: National finalist for the Dale Warland Award in Choral Conducting
2023: 鶹ҹ Chamber Singers: The American Prize in Virtual Performance (for a concert released during the pandemic). 鶹ҹ Chamber Singers: 2nd Place.
2023: Petrichor International Music Competition (worldwide; 51 countries), 鶹ҹ Chamber Singers: Semi-Finalists
2022: Michelangelo International Music Festival, Florence, Italy. 鶹ҹ Chamber Singers: Grand Prix winners:
Gold Medal and top score: Youth and University Choirs category.
Gold Medal and top score: Sacred Music category.
Winner: Best Male Soloist Prize.
Winner, Grand Prix: Best Choir Across All Categories.
2021: Gŵyl Gorawl Ryngwladol Cymru (Wales International Choir Competition), 鶹ҹ Chamber Singers, 1st place. Gold Award and Highest Score.
Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor 2020-21