Voices Heard Round the World
Irene Messoloras
Conductor Irene Messoloras creates community around excellence
By Christine Byrd
The voices of UCI Chamber Singers have filled the concert halls and cathedrals of Portugal and Ireland as well as New York’s historic Carnegie Hall — twice — performing to sold-out audiences. Their holiday mini album has racked up hundreds of thousands of streams. Behind these achievements is Irene Messoloras, whose vision, voice and ear for excellence are propelling UCI students to new heights.
“UCI welcomes anyone who wants to be involved in the arts, and vocal music is one of the easiest ways to get involved,” said Messoloras. “We take singers from where they are — at any level — and help them grow as musicians while building a strong sense of community. From there, our program offers them opportunities to perform in some of the world’s most iconic venues, like Carnegie Hall. I want them to know that if they can dream it, it’s within their reach.”
Messoloras grew up in a home full of music and song. Her family has a video of her, at age 6, conducting a choir of her sister and a row of stuffed animals. Messoloras kept chasing those early dreams and went on to earn a Doctorate of Musical Arts in choral conducting from UCLA, under the mentorship of the legendary Donald Neuen. That lifelong love of choral music now fuels her work at UC Irvine.
When Messoloras arrived at UCI — initially as interim director in 2019 and later as associate professor and director of choral activities in 2022 — the Chamber Singers numbered just 20 members. Today, that ensemble has grown into a nationally recognized, award-winning choir, and the overall UCI choral program now includes more than 180 students each quarter. The UCI Chamber Singers have won national awards, including first prize in the 2024 American Prize for the Ernst Bacon Award for the Performance of American Music.
The UCI Choir welcomes students, alumni and community members, while the UCI Chamber Singers are selected by audition. Known to her students as Dr. M, Messoloras values the diversity of her ensembles, and most of the singers are pursuing degrees outside of music.
“It’s really important for me to provide students with an understanding that they can make music a part of their life no matter what field of study or career they choose — there are endless ways to stay connected through it,” said Messoloras.
Image: Irene Messoloras conducting with choir and orchestra that includes members of
UCI Chamber Singers at Carnegie Hall. Photo by DCINY Production/Dan Wright photography.
Beyond the Songs
The UCI Chamber Singers are waiting to find out if their holiday mini album, Winter Night, will make it through the submission process to be on the Grammy ballot. The 2024 EP was produced by 25-time Grammy winner David Frost for Signum Records, and the students worked directly with composer Ola Gjeilo on some of the tracks.
“It was an amazing experience,” said baritone Michael Balerite, a double major in music and political science. “But I refrain from calling it ‘once in a lifetime’ because Dr. M has prepared all of us to have more of these experiences in our lifetimes. The UCI Chamber Singers just does amazing things all the time.”
Earlier this year, Messoloras brought composer Robert S. Cohen to campus to work with students on his choral piece Finding Light: Alzheimer’s Stories. To deepen their understanding, she collaborated with the UC Irvine Institute for Memory Impairment and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), inviting Alzheimer’s researchers, a caregiver and a patient to speak with the singers.
“The libretto explored themes of cognitive decline and disorientation, and UCI MIND joined us to discuss the science behind the music,” said Messoloras. “Understanding the human reality behind those words made the experience deeply moving.”
Balerite, who is studying conducting, sometimes takes the podium for the UCI Chamber Singers. For Finding Light, he led “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.”
“Meeting the composer and then learning about neurodegenerative diseases is not something that a typical music student does in any conservatory or any university,” said Balerite. “The magic of being a choir member here at UCI is that Dr. M makes sure that we become not just artists who sing but artists who realize the societal imperative for these kinds of performances that contribute to the larger message of hope in the search for a cure.”
“...Dr. M makes sure that we become not just artists who sing but artists who realize the societal imperative for these kinds of performances...”
Building Community
Having brought contemporary composers like Cohen and Gjeilo to work with UCI artists recently, Messoloras is turning toward older canonical pieces for the next few months, including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem, which the UCI Choirs will perform at the Irvine Barclay Theatre on March 10, 2026. For their third appearance at Carnegie Hall, a couple of weeks later, the UCI singers will perform works by Gabriel Fauré and Johannes Brahms.
For Messoloras, programming is about balance — honoring tradition while reflecting the world we live in. “I’m passionate about choosing music that challenges and inspires my singers while speaking to the communities we’re part of,” she said. “Music brings people together, and I feel a responsibility to program works that are both relevant to our time and true to the choral art form at its highest level.”
Image: UCI Chamber singers after performing in a cathedral in Portugal.
While performances can feel otherworldly for audiences, it’s the rehearsals where the true magic takes place. Balerite says their director’s keen ear will always pick up every detail, but Messoloras encourages her singers to embrace mistakes as opportunities for artistic and personal growth.
“Singing is a very vulnerable act, and I’m giving my singers challenging pieces; therefore I want them to feel supported and open to the music-making aspect of our work together.” said Messoloras. “My goal is to create moments my singers will carry with them — experiences that remind them why music matters and inspire them to keep singing long after they leave UCI.”
Of course, taking an entire choir to perform in world-class venues is not without challenges — especially budgetary ones. One of Messoloras’ priorities is securing funding to ensure as many students as possible have opportunities to perform not only at the highest level of musicianship but at the highest-caliber venues.
“She is obsessed with excellence that comes from a genuine desire to bring out the best in us,” said Balerite. “She has a fire and a desire for greatness, and that bleeds into each and every single one of us.”
To learn more about the Department of Music, visit music.arts.uci.edu.
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