Learning Leadership

Many choral directors take on administrative responsibility with little formal preparation. Here are strategies to excel in the office and boardroom as well as the concert hall.Read more

10 New Ways Your Chorus Can Use Facebook and Twitter

Whether your chorus is a 150-member children's choir or an eight-member a cappella group, social media can be a powerful tool for staying in touch with your members and your audience. Here are some new ideas to help keep your Facebook and Twitter...Read more

10 Tips for Engaging Your Board

It's really the staff's job to position the board to do their best work―and most of that boils down to excellent communication and clarity of expectations.Read more

Member Spotlight; Melinda Pollack-Harris, Sing to Live Community Chorus, Chicago

When Melinda Pollack-Harris was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, she needed music to face the challenge. That was the inspiration for Sing to Live Community Chorus for women, loved ones, and friends touched by cancer.Read more

The Art of Strategic Alliances

When do partnerships add value and when do they distract from a chorus’s mission? Philadelphia’s venerable Mendelssohn Club explores the spectrum of collaboration, from artistic to administrative.Read more

Management & Governance

Chorus America strengthens the governance, management, marketing, fundraising, and operations of choruses by providing practical tools, templates, training, and strategies for its administrative and board leaders. We track the annual operations of choruses, identify best practices and assessment tools, and help our members build audiences for choral music.

Articles

The Shifting Sands of Demand

Trends in Arts Audience Behaviors

Alan Brown | Audiences, Community Outreach, Innovation, Marketing/Public Relations, Performance, Research/Data, Social Media

Drawing on a wide range of arts industry research and his own observations about the larger environment in which arts groups operate, Alan Brown shares six interrelated macro trends affecting audience behaviors and demand for arts programming. Read more

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The Audience Talks

Conversations with Choral Music Concertgoers

Matthew Sigman | Audiences, Community Outreach, Diversity, Marketing/Public Relations

Through interviews with random, "ordinary" audience members, we discover how they found their way to choral concerts and what keeps them coming back for more—article includes practical recommendations for choral leaders. Read more

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How to Engage the Millennial Generation in Choral Music

Jan-Marie Petersen | Audiences, Community Outreach, Diversity, Innovation, Performance

Choral music covers all manner of human experience—life, death, love, loss, hope, despair, longing, passion, freedom, spirituality. Those are topics that people of all generations can relate to. But it may take a little ingenuity and a willingness to break traditions to get 20- and 30-somethings into your concert hall. Here are three ideas for cultivating young audiences. Read more

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Acknowledging Donors

Saying Thank You Is Just the Beginning

Catherine Dehoney | Fundraising, Governance, Technique/Tool

We all know that thanking our donors is more than good manners—it is a critical part of the donor relations process. But it is just the beginning of a longer- term effort to engage donors more deeply in our organizations. Read more

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The Call to Serve

Todd Estabrook | Governance, Recruitment, Technique/Tool

A Chorus America Board chair reflects upon important characteristics to consider when recruiting candidates for your chorus's board. Read more

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Building Today's Professional Choruses

Matthew Sigman | Careers, Innovation, Management/Leadership, Professional

Adventuresome repertoire, distinctive voices, flexible organizations, and innovative productions have expanded the concept of what a professional chorus looks like today—here's what it takes to excel. Read more

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The Changing Contract with Your Audience

Ann Meier Baker | Audiences, Impact/Value, Innovation, Management/Leadership

Are we in the business of delivering excellent performances or delighting our audiences? The answer of course is both, but too many see it as an either-or construct, limiting their potential. Read more

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Back from the Brink

How One Chorus Grappled with the Perfect Storm of Bad Economic Circumstances

Eric Holtan | Audiences, Finance, Fundraising, Governance

All of us in the arts feel the pinch in a recession. Here is the story of how the Tucson Chamber Artists weathered the storm of economic bad news during one year, employing adaptive strategies throughout the season to overcome them. Read more

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Making the Most of Media Opportunities

Tom Hall | Marketing/Public Relations, Technique/Tool

A professional with experience on both sides of the mic reveals five fundamentals of good media relations. Read more

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The 10 Commandments for Recording Your Chorus

Brad Spencer | Impact/Value, Legal/Licensing, Management/Leadership, Marketing/Public Relations, Technique/Tool

Professionally produced recordings are still one of the best ways you can enhance the quality, image, reputation, and morale of your chorus. Read more

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Resources

Fundraising Plan Outline

Chorus America Staff | Finance, Fundraising, Operations, Sample/Template

The most effective choruses plan out their annual fundraising; use this outline as a starting place. Read more

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Finance Scavenger Hunt

Chorus America Staff | Finance, Sample/Template, Technique/Tool

Developed by an executive director, a treasurer, and a lawyer, this handout walks through the basics of sound financial management and how to read financial statements. A great primer for new board members! Read more

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Conflict of Interest Policy

Chorus America Staff | Governance, Legal/Licensing, Management/Leadership, Sample/Template

Use this policy template to ensure that your chorus is in compliance with tax requirements. Read more

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Choral-Orchestral Engagements

Survey Results and Best Practices

Chorus America Staff | Community Outreach, Legal/Licensing, Operations, Performance, Research/Data, Sample/Template, Symphonic, Technique/Tool

This 2004 whitepaper provides practical guidance on the unique issues choruses face in working with orchestras for concert engagements. Based on data gathered from Chorus America's symphonic chorus members, it also provides a sample contract and budget to use when negotiating your engagement. Read more

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Children's Chorus Recruitment Case Study

Chorus America Staff | Children/Youth, Recruitment, Technique/Tool

Developed after in-depth interviews with 20 children's choruses, this case study attempts to address common barriers and pre-conceptions about the recruitment issue. Read more

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Bylaws Template (USA)

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

Use these sample by-laws to get your new chorus off the ground, adding in any clauses required by your state legislation. (USA only) Read more

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Bylaws Checklist (Canada)

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

Use this checklist to ensure that your chorus' by-laws include all the necessary components. (Canada only) Read more

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Budget Template

Chorus America Staff | Finance, Operations, Sample/Template

This Excel spreadsheet template provides a guideline for building a basic budget, including allocating expenses and income across the calendar year. Read more

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Board Member End-of-Term Questions

Chorus America Staff | Evaluation, Governance, Management/Leadership, Technique/Tool

Use this questionnaire at the end of each board member's term. Read more

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Board Member Agreement

Chorus America Staff | Governance, Sample/Template

Use this sample agreement to help ensure successful board recruitment by laying out clear expectations and responsibilities for each incoming board member. Read more

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Events

Purcell The Indian Queen

Boston, MA

Handel and Hayd... | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, Awards, Careers, Civic Engagement, Community Outreach, Composing/Commissioning, Conducting, Diversity, Education, Families, General, Impact/Value, Performance, Singing, Symphonic, Venue

H&H presents a program of comedy, romance, intrigue, and beautiful music with this dramatic semi-opera and scenes from other Purcell works. Read more

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Chorus Management Institute 2012

Indianapolis, IN

Chorus America Staff |

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DeKalb Choral Guild Gala Celebration

Sandy Springs, GA

DeKalb Choral Guild | Fundraising

Black Tie Gala celebration in support of the DeKalb Choral Guild -your premier community chorus in DeKalb County GA. Read more

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Fundraiser for The Northern Virginia Chorale

12193 Fair Lakes Promenade Dr., Fairfax VA

Susanne Cook | Fundraising

The Northern Virginia Chorale will have a fundraiser at Barnes and Noble, 12193 Fair Lakes Promenade Dr., Fairfax, VA, on March 17, 2012. We will be performing between 10 AM and 2 PM. There will be activities for children: face painting and bookmark making, and also members will read to the children. The music and activities will have a St. Patrick's theme. We appreciate your support at any time that day (and for five days thereafter online) by using our voucher #10683035, which will give the Chorale a percentage of sales. Read more