Conducting & Performing

Chorus America advances the artistry of choruses by providing masterclasses for choral conductors, sessions on repertoire and performance practice, convenings of artistic directors, research on conducting careers and transitions, information on performance trends and innovations, and forums for discussion of artistic issues.

Articles

Alice Parker: The Belle of Hawley

Alice Parker: The Belle of Hawley

Matthew Sigman | Composing/Commissioning, Conducting, Singing

This peripatetic Jenny Appleseed of melody continues to traverse the country as a distinguished teacher, coach, conductor, and advocate for words and melody Read more

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A Capital Farewell for Norman Scribner

A Capital Farewell for Norman Scribner

Robin L. Perry | Conducting

DC's "dean" of choral conductors steps down and reflects on a career that spanned a half century in the U.S. capital Read more

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When Only Some Singers Are Paid

When Only Some Singers Are Paid

Don Lee | Management/Leadership, Performance, Professional, Singing, Volunteer

The experience of several professional core choruses demonstrates there are ways to gracefully handle the inherent tension that arises when paid singers are brought on board in a mostly volunteer ensemble. Here are eight tips from managers, conductors, and volunteer singers who have been through this process. Read more

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Transitioning to a Professional Core Chorus

Transitioning to a Professional Core Chorus

Don Lee | Management/Leadership, Performance, Professional, Singing, Volunteer

Adding paid professional singers to a volunteer chorus raises issues of fairness, finances, artistic prowess, and culture. We offer advice for managing the process from those who've been through it. Read more

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Member Spotlight: KellyAnn Nelson and Christopher Eanes & the Young Professionals Choral Collective, Cincinnati

Member Spotlight: KellyAnn Nelson and Christopher Eanes & the Young Professionals Choral Collective, Cincinnati

Kelsey Menehan | Civic Engagement, Impact/Value, Participation, Performance

Many young professionals lose the choral experience they loved in school. KellyAnn Nelson and Christopher Eanes hit on a surefire draw: Invite 20- and 30-somethings to rehearse and perform in a local bar. Read more

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How To Maintain the Quality of Your Chorus from Year to Year

How To Maintain the Quality of Your Chorus from Year to Year

Kelsey Menehan | Conducting, Management/Leadership, Performance, Recruitment

Musical excellence attracts and retains excellent singers. If the choir never gets better, the best ones will find someplace else to sing. Here are seven strategies for maintaining and enhancing the quality of your chorus. Read more

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Creating a Conducting Video

Creating a Conducting Video

An Essential Part of a Conductor's Portfolio

David Hayes | Careers, Conducting, Education, Performance, Professional, Technique/Tool, Technology

Videos play a vital role in advancing the careers of conductors today, both as self-evaluation tools and as a way to easily showcase skills to others. We explore two types of conducting videos, the guidelines to create them, and how to use them to enhance your career. Read more

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Choral Music on the Radio

Choral Music on the Radio

A New Blend

Don Lee | Audiences, Impact/Value, Performance, Repertoire, Technology

Today's radio programmers are moving past the bad rap of early research and experimenting with a richer mix of choral and vocal music. Read more

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Chicago a cappella: Leveraging Repertoire To Build a Brand

Chicago a cappella: Leveraging Repertoire To Build a Brand

Matthew Sigman | Community Outreach, Marketing/Public Relations, Repertoire

A journey through the history of Jewish liturgical music alters a chorus’s path to the future. Read more

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Resources

The Choral Works of Hamish MacCunn (1868–1916)

The Choral Works of Hamish MacCunn (1868–1916)

Jennifer Oates | Audiences, Composing/Commissioning, Conducting, History, Performance, Repertoire, Research/Data, Singing

This issue provides insight into the music of Hamish MacCunn, Scottish romantic composer, conductor, and teacher. Jennifer Oates gives us a complete listing of MacCunn's choral works, including audio file examples. Read more

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David Hamilton’s Music for Choir and Instrumental Ensemble

David Hamilton’s Music for Choir and Instrumental Ensemble

Chorus America Staff | Composing/Commissioning, Conducting, Performance, Rehearsal, Repertoire, Singing

Research Memorandum Series No. 202 This issue provides insight into the music of David Hamilton, prolific composer and music educator from New Zealand. Jennifer Morgan Flory gives us a complete listing of Hamilton's works for choir and intstrumental ensemble. Read more

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John Corigliano's Of Rage and Rememberance

John Corigliano's Of Rage and Rememberance

Community and Ritual in the Age of AIDS

Chorus America Staff | Repertoire

American Choral Review 54 includes an analysis of John Corigliano's work inspired by the AIDS crisis as well as reviews of summer festivals. Read more

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Choral-Orchestral Engagements: Common Practices

Choral-Orchestral Engagements: Common Practices

Chorus America Staff | Management/Leadership, Operations, Performance, Rehearsal

This practical resources for choruses provides guidance on collaborating successfully with orchestras, based on conversations with more than 30 artistic administrators. Originally published in 2004, the report was reviewed and republished in 2013. Read more

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The Choral Works of Stephen Chatman

The Choral Works of Stephen Chatman

Chorus America Staff | Conducting, Repertoire, Research/Data

Research Memorandum Series No. 201. This issue provides insight into the music of Stephen Chatman, internationally known Canadian composer and teacher. Graeme Langager gives us a complete listing of Chatman's published and unpublished choral compositions. Read more

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Renaissance and Baroque Performance Practice: Invaluable Resources for the Choral Conductor

Renaissance and Baroque Performance Practice: Invaluable Resources for the Choral Conductor

Chorus America Staff | Conducting, Research/Data

Research Memorandum Series No. 200. A thorough and definitive compilation of resources in Renaissance and Baroque performance practice spanning, approximately, the past 70 years. This issue provides a broad yet in-depth overview of the manifold issues faced by choral conductors in preparing performances of music from these time periods. Read more

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Navigating a Music Director Transition

Navigating a Music Director Transition

An Online Seminar

Chorus America Staff | Careers, Conducting, Governance, Operations, Strategic Planning, Technology

Responding to survey data that revealed that 33% of responding conductors were founding directors that anticipated retiring from their ensembles within 5-10 years, Chorus America created this online seminar, Navigating a Music Director Transition. Packed full of video interviews with leaders in the field who have addressed this transition from all different roles (departing music director, incoming music director, board president, executive director, search committee member, etc.), as well as practical worksheets and tools, the 4-part seminar is a vital resource for any choruses anticipating an artistic change. Read more

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Kent Tritle on Monteverdi Vespers

Kent Tritle on Monteverdi Vespers

Kent Tritle | Conducting, Performance, Repertoire

Conductor Kent Tritle, who conducted Monteverdi's Vespers at the 2011 Berkshire Choral Festival, offers his insights on the challenges of singing this seminal choral work. Read more

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Arthur Farwell’s New York City “Song and Light Festival”

Arthur Farwell’s New York City “Song and Light Festival”

Chorus America Staff | Research/Data

American Choral Review 53.2 Read more

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Singer Audition Form

Singer Audition Form

Chorus America Staff | Evaluation, Operations, Recruitment, Sample/Template, Singing

A sample form for conductors to use when evaluating potential singers. Read more

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Events

Essence of Joy Alumni Singers Concert

Essence of Joy Alumni Singers Concert

22nd and Spruce St.

bluelyric7 | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, Community Outreach

For one night only, we've got a choir of over 70 singers who are traveling in from all over the country, some straight from Broadway, Off-Broadway and National Tours for a special evening celebrating inspiring choral works and gospel music!  Tickets cost $15 and can be purchased here: http://eojas.eventbrite.com/ or at the door.For more information about our mission, visit eojas.org Read more

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Festival Chorale Oregon Presents Two Magnificats

Festival Chorale Oregon Presents Two Magnificats

Salem, Oregon

diltis | Performance

In the second of three concerts following its 2012-2013 theme, "Ancient Texts, Contemporary Voices," Festival Chorale Oregon will present two contrasting settings of the traditional Magnificat text, both by living composers, on Saturday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Salem’s First Presbyterian Church. Read more

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Handel's Messiah

Handel's Messiah

Williamsville, NY

HGrant | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, General, Performance, Singing, Symphonic

 The Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus (BPC) is known for its annual December presentations of Handel's Messiah. This year, the BPC is extending the telling of this magnificent story by performing the rarely heard Easter movements from Messiah.           Read more

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“Music of the Three B’s”

“Music of the Three B’s”

Ingomar United Methodist Church, 1501 W Ingomar Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237

PCCsing | Audiences, Community Outreach, Conducting, Performance

Tickets: Adults- $20 advance, $22 at the door; students-$8; children (under 12)-$0   Description: In addition to Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, the concert will include Bach’s classic Cantata No. 4, Christ lag in Todesbanden, and Brahms’ stunning Schicksalslied.  Further details, including ticket ordering, can be found at www.PCCsing.org Read more

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HICKORY CHORAL SOCIETY 35TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION CONCERT

HICKORY CHORAL SOCIETY 35TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION CONCERT

HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA

HICKORY CHORAL ... | Performance

HICKORY CHORAL SOCIETY WILL BE CELEBRATING 35 WONDERFUL YEARS OF BRINGING FINE CHORAL MUSIC TO OUR COMMUNITY.  THEY WILL BE PREMIERING A COMMISSIONED WORK "REQUIEM FOR THE LIVING" BY COMPOSER, DAN FORREST.  THE SECOND HALF OF THE PROGRAM WILL FEATURE SEVERAL SELECTIONS WHERE THE CHORUS WILL BE JOINED BY FORMER SINGERS TO CELEBRATE THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY. www.hickorychoralsociety.org     Read more

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The Heirs of Tantalus

The Heirs of Tantalus

41 Broad Street, NYC, NY 10004

salonsanctuary | Performance

The Heirs of Tantalus From the House of Atreus to the Palace of Nero Read more

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A CENTURY OF NEW YORK PSALMS

A CENTURY OF NEW YORK PSALMS

316 East 88th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues New York City, 10128

Manhattan Chora... | Composing/Commissioning, Conducting

Three new works commissioned by the Manhattan Choral Ensemble from James Bassi, Christian Carey and Martha Sullivan will be premiered alongside illustrations by New York artist Brett Helquist (best known for the children's books Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events), bringing to life these ancient poems in one of New York’s most beautiful churches. Following music by John Corigliano, Virgil Thomson, Bobby McFerrin and Nico Muhly, the program will conclude with Leonard Bernstein’s luminous Chichester Psalms. Read more

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New Music for Treble Voices Festival

New Music for Treble Voices Festival

555 Waverley St., Palo Alto CA

Susan Rooke | Audiences, Children/Youth, Community Outreach, Impact/Value, Innovation, Performance, Repertoire, Singing

The Peninsula Women's Chorus hosts the sixth annual edition of the exciting and innovative New Music for Treble Voices Festival. Read more

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Dialogue

Questions During Rehearsal?

Questions During Rehearsal?

Anonymous | Rehearsal, Singing

Conductors, do you let your singers ask questions during rehearsal? What are the pros and cons? Read more

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Conference 2013 Ad
Please visit the 2013 Conference Website for information.
King FM Choral Music Channel

Enjoy Seattle’s First Online Choral Music Channel

In celebration of Chorus America’s Annual Conference coming to the Pacific Northwest, Classical KING FM has launched Seattle’s first all-choral music channel online at www.king.org. Listen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for music from top choral groups, including winners of Chorus America’s Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence.

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