Masterclass in Motion: The Making of a Choral-Orchestral Conductor

Matthew Sigman | Conducting, Education

Early- and mid-career learning for choral conductors is hard to find and requires a public process that demands courage and stamina. Read more

What Happens After the Premiere?

Don Lee | Composing/Commissioning, Performance, Repertoire

To commission and premiere a new piece of music can garner a chorus and a composer media attention, industry recognition, and a concert hall full of audience members. We explore the strategies that choruses have employed to keep their programming fresh and their commissioned works evergreen. Read more

The Power of "With"

Ann Meier Baker | Civic Engagement, Diversity, Performance, Singing

Choruses bring diverse people together to make beautiful music and offer us a much-needed antidote to the "i" epidemic. Read more

From Score to Seat

A Composer and Her Audience

Gabriela Lena Frank | Audiences, Composing/Commissioning, Diversity, Families, Innovation, Profile

Composer Gabriela Lena Frank explores the evolving relationship with her audience, beginning with her doting parents. Read more

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

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

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

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

Spirit / Breath / Voice

5850 S. Woodlawn Ave., Chicago, IL

Matt Greenberg |

  Please join the nine singers of Chicago a cappella for Spirit/Breath/Voice, an inspiring program celebrating generosity, compassion, peace, and joy.The acclaimed vocal ensemble’s new concert includes a joyous Renaissance mass, uplifting Shaker tunes, and the Midwest premiere of Gwyneth Walker’s Songs of Ecstasy.This concert will be musically directed by William Chin, the accomplished assistant director of the Chicago Symphony Chorus. Don’t miss this deeply moving and blissful musical experience! Read more

Two CDs Released by Boston’s Coro Allegro

kipjld1964 |

Coro Allegro, a classical SATB ensemble composed of members and friends of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, extends its commitment to contemporary choral works with the release of two CDs under the Navona label. Awakenings features two extraordinary works by Massachusetts composers: “Shofar” by Robert Stern, an intensely dramatic recounting of the Biblical story of Moses and the Israelites premiered by Coro, with libretto by Catherine Madsen; and “Why I Wake Early” by Ronald Perera, a suite of eight evocative songs with text drawn from poems by Mary Oliver. Says The New York Times: "Ms. Oliver's poetry...reveals an awestruck regard of nature that verges on the religious...Enhanced by Mr. Perera's estimable knack for setting English, this is a substantial addition to the choral canon.” In Paradisum features live performances of two Coro-commissioned works by acclaimed composer Patricia Van Ness: “Requiem,” a personal, intimate ritual of consolation reinforcing the presence of divine love; and “The Voice of the Tenth Muse,” an expansively spiritual work based on the texts of Sappho. Featured soloists include Sanford Sylvan and Ruth Cunningham. Both CDs are available for purchase at www.coroallegro.org/cds Read more

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir - Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle - Concert and webcast

Toronto, Ontario

Toronto Mendels... | Audiences, General, Performance, Singing

Brighten up a winter afternoon with this graceful and lyrical work. The TMC last performed this great work in 1982.  Noel Edison, conductor; James Bourne, piano;
Andrew Adair, organ;
Lesley Bouza, soprano;
Jennifer Enns Modolo, mezzo soprano;
Charles Davidson, tenor;
Michael York, baritone. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St, Toronto. One block north of St. Clair subway station.    Tickets: $42-$65; seniors $37-$60; VoxTix (under 30) $20.    http://www.tmchoir.org/tmcPerformances/petite-messe-solennelle.cfm   Podcast: http://www.tmchoir.org/downloads/audio/podcast_Rossini.mp3   Program Notes: http://www.tmchoir.org/downloads/programNotes_RossiniPetiteMesse.pdf   This concert will also be webcast live on the TMC website at 3pm (UTC -5). The webcast will be Adobe Flash and iPhone and iPad compatible.   Read more

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir - Choral Conductors Symposium Concert and Webcast

Toronto, Ontario

Toronto Mendels... | Audiences, Conducting, Families, Performance, Singing

    A free Toronto Mendelssohn Choir concert. Enjoy a potpourri of great choral works performed by the Mendelssohn Singers and by the 20-voice Elora Festival Singers. This concert concludes the TMC’s 3rd annual Choral Conductors’ Symposium for emerging conductors, led by Noel Edison. The five conductors participating in the Symposium will conduct: Xavier Brossard-Ménard, Catherine Klopoushak, Brett Kostrzewski, Jennifer Min-Young Lee and Kemuel Wong. <a href="http://www.tmchoir.org/tmcPerformances/conductors-symposium-concert.cfm">Find out more about the concert</a>. If you can’t be at the concert, you can watch a live webcast at 3 pm (UTC -5) on the TMC website. The webcast will be Adobe Flash and iPhone and iPad compatible. <a href="http://www.tmchoir.org/tmcPerformances/webcast-register.cfm">Sign up to watch the webcast</a> .   Read more