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

He Changed Choral Music in Canada

He Changed Choral Music in Canada

Chronicling Elmer Iseler's Impact

Walter Pitman | Conducting, History, Profile

Ten years after his death, a new book about conductor Elmer Iseler examines his legacy on choral music not just in Canada but throughout the choral music field. Read more

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Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín

Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín

Thomas Sheets | History, Innovation, Performance, Profile, Repertoire, Singing

Performances of Verdi's Requiem by Jewish prisoners at the Terezín concentration camp inspire a present-day concert drama that explores the profround relationship between music and its performers. Read more

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Final Thoughts Before A Concert

Final Thoughts Before A Concert

An Interview with Craig Jessop

Chorus America Staff | Conducting, Rehearsal, Technique/Tool

Do you ever wonder what choral conductors think about after the last orchestra rehearsal before the big performance? Chorus America contributor Kelsey Menehan sat down with Craig Jessop at the Berkshire Choral Festival to find out. Read more

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Why People Who Hate Choral Music Love Carmina Burana

Why People Who Hate Choral Music Love Carmina Burana

Conductor Tom Hall on Why Its So Exciting

Chorus America Staff | Innovation, Repertoire, Singing, Symphonic

Since its premiere in 1937, Carl Orff's bawdy rollick through the fields and swamps of Love, Lust, and Booze has commanded the kind of following that rock bands dream of. Among the zipped up, stiffly starched giants of the choral repertoire, Carmina Burana is the bad girl who can't seem to keep her blouse buttoned. Read more

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Women in Choral Conducting: A Level Playing Field?

Women in Choral Conducting: A Level Playing Field?

Vivien Schweitzer | Careers, Children/Youth, Diversity, Governance

Men vastly outnumber women in orchestral conducting, but choruses tell a different story. What issues do women choral conductors face today? Read more

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When To Speak About Your Performance

When To Speak About Your Performance

Eric Booth | Audiences, Conducting, Performance

The goal of a concert is not to perform great music well, but to co-create personally relevant experiences together inside the music. Read more

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Marilyn Horne's Second Act

Marilyn Horne's Second Act

Kelsey Menehan | Community Outreach, Education, Profile

Marilyn Horne, one of America's most celebrated opera stars, decided to shine the spotlight on the next generation. Read more

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Choral Masterworks: Is Any One Version "The Best"?

Choral Masterworks: Is Any One Version "The Best"?

Chorus America Staff | Repertoire, Singing, Symphonic

Choral conductor Tom Hall pulls back the veil on several well-loved choral works in this interview. Read more

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Singing with an Aging Voice

Singing with an Aging Voice

How Choristers and Choruses Can Address the Challenges Together

Kelsey Menehan | Adults/Seniors, Evaluation, Singing, Technique/Tool

As singers age, what used to be easy becomes harder—sustaining the high notes, singing through a phrase on one breath, doing a smooth crescendo and decrescendo. Here's a look at several strategies for overcoming the challenges of an aging voice. Read more

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Richard Westenburg: An Appreciation

Richard Westenburg: An Appreciation

Tom Hall | Conducting, Profile

Richard Westenburg, the founder of New York's famed chorus and orchestra, Musica Sacra, died of colon cancer on February 20, 2008. Westenburg had been an important fixture on the New York scene for more than 40 years. Read more

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Resources

Two Composition Lessons from Handel

Two Composition Lessons from Handel

Chorus America Staff | Composing/Commissioning, Conducting, Education, History, Repertoire, Research/Data

Handel’s practice of borrowing from other composers allows us the opportunity to probe into the great composer’s style and creative thought processes. A number of scholars have shown without question that the majority of Handel’s borrowings transform his source materials into new creations entirely his own. But what does “entirely his own” really mean? Read more

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Choral Music from Jewish Tradition: Bibliography

Choral Music from Jewish Tradition: Bibliography

Joshua Jacobson | Composing/Commissioning, Diversity, Repertoire

A bibliography of important resources from the Jewish choral tradition prepared by Joshua Jacobson. Read more

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Choral Music from Jewish Tradition:  Music You Should Know and How to Perform it Well

Choral Music from Jewish Tradition: Music You Should Know and How to Perform it Well

Joshua Jacobson | Composing/Commissioning, Diversity, Repertoire

A comprehensive repertoire list prepared by Joshua Jacobson. Read more

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Events

Vox Femina Los Angeles Presents No Ordinary Women

Vox Femina Los Angeles Presents No Ordinary Women

200 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012

GreenGal | Singing

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Winter Tapestry 2012

Winter Tapestry 2012

West Palm Beach, FL

SlatkowandHusak | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, Children/Youth, Community Outreach, Diversity, Families, Participation, Performance, Singing

Palm Beach County's premiere youth community choir presents Winter Tapestry 2012 as part of their 10th Anniversary Season on the main stage at Kravis Center for the Performing Arts.   Ring in the Holiday Season with Palm Beach County’s most talented youth in an evening of music and magic. Young Singers of the Palm Beaches is Palm Beach County’s award winning community chorus featuring 330 of the area’s most talented voices spanning ages 8 – 18. The “Winter Tapestry 2012” evening will highlight traditional and contemporary holiday music combined with humor, artistic excellence and an audience sing-a-long.     Read more

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The Lyric Theatre Singers - Christmas at Tudor Hall 2012

The Lyric Theatre Singers - Christmas at Tudor Hall 2012

Montreal, Quebec

Louise Dorais | Performance

Christmas at Tudor Hall with The Lyric Theatre Singers has become a Montreal tradition! This award-winning Broadway choir serves up just the right combination of holiday music to send everyone home in a sleigh bells and mistletoe mood! www.lyrictheatrecompany.com  https://www.facebook.com/LyricTheatreMontreal   Read more

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Hymnfest VII:  All Good Gifts!

Hymnfest VII: All Good Gifts!

Glenview, IL 60025

Sheryl1017 | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, Composing/Commissioning, Conducting, Performance

The 40 voice Chancel choir will feature hymns and anthems for the autumn/harvest season as well as Chicagoland debut arrangements by guest conductor, Paul Leddington Wright, as published in Oxford’s new 5th edition of Carols for Choirs.  Accompanied by organ, brass quintet and timpani For more information, visit our website at www.gccucc.org Read more

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Puccini, Argento & Rutter

Puccini, Argento & Rutter

50N. Plymouth Ave., Rochester, NY

Carole Huther | Performance

Rochester, New York-September 26, 2012 The Rochester Oratorio Society and the ROS Orchestra will take to the Hochstein Performance Hall stage on October 26 to open the 2012-2013 concert season. Joining the ROS will be tenor, Grant Knox and baritone, Mario Martinez, as well as the Webster Thomas High School Choir under the direction of Brenda Nitsch.             Read more

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Venice by Way of San Antonio

Venice by Way of San Antonio

411 SW 24th Street, San Antonio, TX 78207

Gustavo Rios Jr | Adults/Seniors, Children/Youth, Civic Engagement, Community Outreach, Conducting, Diversity, Education, Families, Fundraising, Participation, Performance, Singing

  The season opens with a collaborative concert celebrating the 400th anniversary of G. Gabrieli.   Read more

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GOTHAM@LPR: ORIENTALE

GOTHAM@LPR: ORIENTALE

158 Bleecker Street, New York, NY

emilymt | Audiences

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Clerestory: SeaSongs

Clerestory: SeaSongs

Bay Area locations: Tiburon, San Francisco and East Bay

NRobertsSF | Audiences, Civic Engagement, Composing/Commissioning, Performance, Professional, Repertoire

Clerestory, the Bay Area’s acclaimed ten-man vocal ensemble, opens its seventh season with SeaSongs, a nautical-themed program inspired by the Bay Area’s maritime setting and the arrival of the America’s Cup races. The concert features the world premiere of renowned composer Eric Banks’ “These Oceans Vast,” set to texts by Herman Melville.  Read more

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Clerestory: SeaSongs

Clerestory: SeaSongs

Bay Area locations: Tiburon, San Francisco and East Bay

NRobertsSF | Audiences, Civic Engagement, Composing/Commissioning, Performance, Professional, Repertoire

Clerestory, the Bay Area’s acclaimed ten-man vocal ensemble, opens its seventh season with SeaSongs, a nautical-themed program inspired by the Bay Area’s maritime setting and the arrival of the America’s Cup races. The concert features the world premiere of renowned composer Eric Banks’ “These Oceans Vast,” set to texts by Herman Melville.  Read more

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Clerestory: SeaSongs

Clerestory: SeaSongs

Bay Area locations: Tiburon, San Francisco and East Bay

NRobertsSF | Audiences, Civic Engagement, Composing/Commissioning, Performance, Professional, Repertoire

Clerestory, the Bay Area’s acclaimed ten-man vocal ensemble, opens its seventh season with SeaSongs, a nautical-themed program inspired by the Bay Area’s maritime setting and the arrival of the America’s Cup races. The concert features the world premiere of renowned composer Eric Banks’ “These Oceans Vast,” set to texts by Herman Melville.  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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