The UTM choral program wrapped up its 2005 Tennessee concert tour with its fall choral concert Thursday at the Harriet Fulton Theatre.

The concert featured performances from the University Singers, which consists of about 40 UTM singers, and the New Pacer Singers, an elite group of students who are also members of the University Singers.

The groups performed a wide range of selections, including several spirituals as well as lighter pop selections. The spirituals dealt with the themes of redemption and the afterlife.

“All of them had to do with the welcoming home, “said choral conductor Dr. Mark Simmons.

The University Singers began the concert with the New Pacer Singers performing near the halfway point of the concert. Later, the University Singers reappeared to finish the concert.

After the concert both groups made their way into the lobby of the Fine Arts Building, where they performed an abbreviated version of “Silent Night.”

There were few empty seats in the theatre, forcing some spectators to sit in the entranceways.

“It was really very welcoming here and we knew it was going to be an enthusiastic audience,” said Simmons.

The concert received rave reviews from many members of the audience.

“They were amazing. I was floored,” said Virginia Kruckeberg, a junior elementary education major from Columbia, Tenn.

The 2005 Tennessee Concert Tour included stops in Chattanooga, Knoxville and Nashville.

The groups performed at Second Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga Nov. 17, Church Street United Methodist Church in Knoxville Nov. 18, and Christ Church Cathedral in Nashville Nov. 19. Libscomb High School in Nashville and Blackman High School in Murfreesboro were also stops on the tour.

Next year the choral program plans on extending the tour to more locations. Current plans include performances in Savannah, Ga, Charlotte, N.C., and Columbia, Charleston, and Myrtle Beach, SC.