This year, the Stetson School of Music honored Dr. Bingham Vick with the Alumni Award for Exemplary Music Education Achievement in recognition of his significant contributions to music and music education. He is a 1966 graduate of the Stetson School of Music and has had an illustrious career at Furman University as Director of Choral Activities.

At Furman, Dr. Vick taught applied voice, conducting, and choral literature courses. In 1984, he was awarded the Furman Meritorious Teacher of the Year Award for his excellence in teaching. He is a Life Member of the American Choral Directors Association and a past president of the thirteen-state Southern Division of ACDA. He is active in the National Association for Music Education and the International Federation for Choral Music, and has been a longtime member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and the Presbyterian Association of Musicians.

With more than thirty years of conducting experience, Dr. Vick enjoys an outstanding national reputation as a conductor and teacher. Under his direction, the Furman Singers have performed at numerous Southern Division and National Conventions of ACDA. He has conducted annual concert tours throughout the East and Southeast, as well as biennial concert tours to Europe. He has conducted all-county choirs, all-state choirs, and choral workshops throughout the Southeast. An active tenor soloist, Dr. Vick sang for several years with the Robert Shaw Festival Singers, under the direction of the late Robert Shaw.

In 2000, Dr. Vick was presented South Carolina’s highest civilian honor, the Order of the Palmetto, by the governor of South Carolina, in recognition of his service and leadership in the arts. In 2004, he was again honored with the Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Governor’s Award for his outstanding musical leadership and contributions to the state of South Carolina.

Although recently retired from Furman, Dr. Vick continues as the artistic director and conductor of the Greenville Chorale (symphonic chorus) and as founder and director of the professional choir, the Chorale Chamber Ensemble.

Dr. Vick was not able to join us for the annual Alumni Reception at FMEA but did come to campus for the Concert Choir performance in March and was publicly recognized at that time. In addition, he led the Concert Choir and alumni present in singing the Stetson Alma Mater.