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

Bringing Today's Choral Composers into Your Community

Bringing Today's Choral Composers into Your Community

Kelsey Menehan | Children/Youth, Composing/Commissioning, Education

How Minnesota's VocalEssence and composer Eric Whitacre helped high school students, choral directors, and community members of all ages discover the power of contemporary choral music through a festival and community sing event. Read more

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Best Little-Known Choral Recordings

Best Little-Known Choral Recordings

Helene Whitson | Repertoire, Singing

Choral music sleuth Helene Whitson has sifted through used CD bins and trolled the Internet to bring you some of the hidden gems of the choral repertoire. Read more

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Eric Whitacre Speaks Out

Eric Whitacre Speaks Out

An Interview With Choral Music's Rock Star

Kelsey Menehan | Composing/Commissioning, Education, Impact/Value, Innovation, Profile, Social Media

Eric Whitacre muses on how he gets inspired to compose, his special connection with young people, and what he thinks about the future of choral music. Read more

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What Is "Shape-Note" Singing?

What Is "Shape-Note" Singing?

Elisabeth Higgi... | History, Repertoire, Singing, Technique/Tool

In this musical tradition, singers read a variety of different note shapes—each one corresponding to a different syllable: fa, so, la, or mi. Read more

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Inside Conspirare: A Different Kind of Chorus

Inside Conspirare: A Different Kind of Chorus

Kelsey Menehan | Composing/Commissioning, Innovation, Performance, Repertoire

Choruses have a real chance to be innovators and maybe help lead the way for all the arts. Read more

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A Performance of a Lifetime

A Performance of a Lifetime

Children's Choruses Sing at Barack Obama's Inauguration

Jan-Marie Petersen | Children/Youth, History, Profile

Children's choruses from San Francisco sang for millions at the inauguration ceremony of President Barack Obama. Here's what happened on that historic day. Read more

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A Conversation with Craig Hella Johnson

A Conversation with Craig Hella Johnson

Chorus America Staff | Conducting, Innovation, Performance, Repertoire

We sat down with Conspirare founder and artistic director Craig Hella Johnson to get the inside scoop on how the group came to be and the magic behind their success. Read more

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Ligeti in Winter

Ligeti in Winter

Gregory Boals | Audiences, Impact/Value, Rehearsal, Repertoire, Singing, Symphonic

Much in the same way you might stop and get to know your neighbors during a snowstorm, a difficult piece can draw singers together in solidarity amdist the flurry of notes. Read more

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Conquering the B Minor Mass

Conquering the B Minor Mass

Chorus America Staff | Composing/Commissioning, History, Rehearsal, Repertoire, Technique/Tool

The Bach B Minor Mass takes Olympian fortitude to learn and perform. In this interview with conductor and historian Dennis Shrock, we take a look at the history of the work and what singers can do to make the performance experience easier on themselves. Read more

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Where You Lead, They Will Follow

Where You Lead, They Will Follow

An Interview with Sir David Willcocks

Chorus America Staff | Composing/Commissioning, Conducting, History, Profile, Rehearsal

Famed conductor Sir David Willcocks speaks about his special love of choral singing and of choral singers through his experience as director of music at King's College, Cambridge and of the Royal College of Music's Bach Choir. Read more

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Resources

Orchestra Contract

Orchestra Contract

Chorus America Staff | Legal/Licensing, Operations, Performance, Sample/Template

Use this basic sample contract when your chorus is retained to perform by an orchestra. Read more

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Choral Conductors Today: A Study

Choral Conductors Today: A Study

Chorus America Staff | Careers, Conducting, Management/Leadership, Recruitment, Research/Data

Chorus America interviewed more than 700 conductors about their career paths, levels of education, salary, job satisfaction, and more in 2005. The resulting data provides a profile of the "typical" choral conductor that may be surprising. Read more

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Additional content: Ambassadors of Peace

Additional content: Ambassadors of Peace

Kelsey Menehan | Community Outreach, Impact/Value, Profile, Repertoire, Singing

Examples of concert programming that are designed on themes of peace or reconciliation. Partner piece to "How Choruses Have Become Ambassadors of Peace." Read more

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28 American Master Choral Composers

28 American Master Choral Composers

A Repertoire and Recording Listing to Support NEA's American Masterpieces

Chorus America Staff | Composing/Commissioning, Conducting, Government/Policy, Repertoire

Celebrating America's greatest choral composers, this publication provides repertoire and recording lists for 28 composers from Billings to Whitacre. Read more

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Commissioning Timeline

Commissioning Timeline

Chorus America Staff | Composing/Commissioning, Operations, Sample/Template

Commissioning a new work? Follow this two-year timeline to help plot out which steps you should take when. This timeline is appropriate for a work that does not involve complicated instrumental requirements or multiple movements. Read more

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'Music Director Transition' Tool: Sample Search Timeline

'Music Director Transition' Tool: Sample Search Timeline

Chorus America Staff | Careers, Conducting, Governance, Operations, Sample/Template, Strategic Planning

A sample timeline to help with music director search planning. Read more

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'Music Director Transition' Tool: Readiness Quiz

'Music Director Transition' Tool: Readiness Quiz

Chorus America Staff | Careers, Conducting, Governance, Operations, Strategic Planning, Technique/Tool

Is your chorus ready for a founder transition? This 9-question quiz will help you determine the answer. Read more

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Events

New Hope - Solebury Community Choir - June 2, 2013

New Hope - Solebury Community Choir - June 2, 2013

New Hope, PA

Rick Rosen | Performance

New Hope-Solebury concludes Season #1 with a mixed program.   Read more

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PME’s A Cappella Jazz & Pop Concert

PME’s A Cappella Jazz & Pop Concert

2315 Durant Ave Berkeley, CA 94704

Dale Engle |

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PME’s A Cappella Jazz & Pop Concert

PME’s A Cappella Jazz & Pop Concert

1111 O'Farrell St San Francisco, CA 94109

Dale Engle |

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PME’s A Cappella Jazz & Pop Concert

PME’s A Cappella Jazz & Pop Concert

1970 Chestnut Street, Berkeley, CA

Dale Engle | Diversity

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ARS MUSICA CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA PRESENT Stravinsky & Bruckner: A Masterworks Concert: Themes of Psalms, Peace, and Salvation

ARS MUSICA CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA PRESENT Stravinsky & Bruckner: A Masterworks Concert: Themes of Psalms, Peace, and Salvation

6 S. Monroe St., Ridgewood, New Jersey

Ars Musica Choraloe | Composing/Commissioning

Ars Musica's Stravinsky &  Bruckner: A Masterworks Concert, conducted by Music Director Kelly Crandell will be performed at 8 pm on Saturday, June 8, 2013, at West Side Presbyterian Church,6 South Monroe St.,Ridgewood,NJ. It features Ars Musica's world premiere of "Longed-for Rain," by contemporary composer Martha Sullivan, who offers a preconcert talk at 7 pm. Purchase tickets at www.arsmusica.org or +1‑973‑628‑8793: $20 (advance); $25 day of concert; 12 and under, free. Read more

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Columbia Pro Cantare Performs Music of Spain and Latin America

Columbia Pro Cantare Performs Music of Spain and Latin America

5460 Trumpeter Rd, Columbia, MD 21044

Columbia Pro Cantare | Performance

The Columbia Pro Cantare chorus will perform music of Spain and Latin America at the Jim Rouse Theatre, Columbia. The chorus, under the direction of Frances Motyca Dawson, will be joined for the performance by classical guitarist Magdalena Duhagon, soprano Laura Whittenberger, pianist Alison Gatwood, and a brass ensemble led by Jared Denhard. Read more

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Dark Eyes/New Eyes: A Journey in Armenian Music

Dark Eyes/New Eyes: A Journey in Armenian Music

New York City

emilymt | Audiences

Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Cambria;} Perspectives Ensemble and Judson Arts present:   Dark Eyes/New Eyes: A Journey in Armenian Music Thursday, May 16, 2013 at 7PM   Judson Memorial Church – 55 Washington Square South, New York City The concert is free of admission charge. A reception for the artists and audience follows.   Read more

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Simply Gershwin

Simply Gershwin

Kirkland, WA

Master Chorus E... | Adults/Seniors

  Enjoy the smooth tunes and jazzy rhythms of one of our greatest tunesmiths and finest contributors to the great American songbook, George Gershwin, as only Master Chorus Eastside can do it.  Revel in the lavish melodies and driving jazz of Rhapsody in Blue for piano and chorus, swoon to the rich choral harmonies of Love is Here to Stay, Embraceable You, and Someone to Watch Over Me, and tap your toes to the irresistible dance rhythms of Nice Work if You Can Get it, Strike Up the Band, and more!  The consummate entertainer Mary Jo Dugaw makes a guest appearance in solo renditions of the show tunes of Gershwin and a few of his Tin Pan Alley contemporaries, and then joins the chorus in an unforgettable finale, selections from Porgy and Bess.  Don’t miss it!   Read more

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Festival Chorale Oregon Presents Bluegrass Mass

Festival Chorale Oregon Presents Bluegrass Mass

Mt. Angel, Oregon

diltis | Performance

  Tim Sharp’s bluegrass choral mass, "Come Away to the Skies : A High Lonesome Mass," blends traditional Latin text and folk-hymns of the American South, with a special guest appearance of the composer on banjo joining the bluegrass musicians. In contrast, "Eclectic Mass" is a stunning collection of movements of the traditional mass by different contemporary composers, chosen by FCO Artistic Director Dr. Solveig Holmquist. Read more

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Tim Sharp Talk on "High Lonesome" Bluegrass Mass

Tim Sharp Talk on "High Lonesome" Bluegrass Mass

Salem, Oregon

diltis | Repertoire

  Tim Sharp will lecture on the folk-hymns and musical tradition of the American South that together form the basis of "A High Lonesome Bluegrass Mass: Come Away to the Skies". This presentation previews Festival Chorale Oregon's performance of the bluegrass mass on May 19 in Mt. Angel, Oregon, with Tim Sharp on banjo joining the bluegrass musicians. 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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