AURORA - Since Wells College went coed, there have been many changes at the school but the one that is most apparent to the college concert choir is the addition of a men's ensemble.

“It used to be that we would team with other colleges to gain a men's section,” said Wells College concert choir conductor, Crawford R. Thoburn. “This is the first year that we have enough men to have a full college choir.”

After spending the past semester with intense rehearsals, the choir performed its first fall program for friends and family at the Sommer Student Center on the Wells College campus Sunday afternoon.

Thoburn said that although the college has been coed for a couple of years, this is the first year there has been enough enrollment to add the men's ensemble.

“In previous years there were maybe six men,” he said. “I am very pleased that there is a full choir.”

According to Thoburn, the choir in previous years, conducted tours with members of other college choirs but will consider touring on their own.

“It is a possibility,” he said. “I will have to see how things go.”

With musical works such as “Ave Maria,” by Ellen Keating, performed by the women's ensemble, and “Non Nobis Domine,” by William Byrd, performed by the men's ensemble, concert attendees were pleased with the change.

When the full choir performed “Ain-a That Good News,” an African-American spiritual arranged by William F. Dawson, guests were particularly pleased.

�Also included with the afternoon's works was a string orchestra with concertmaster, Meyer Stolov.