Michael Kaiser On Building Healthy Arts Organizations

In addition to expanding educational and artistic programming as president of the Kennedy Center, Michael Kaiser has become a prominent leader in arts management. Here are some of the insights he shared at Chorus America's 2014 Conference.Read more

Choral Music Online: A Brave New World

Distributing music online is an opportunity to reach more listeners, but the wide variety of platforms can be confusing. Consider these questions to help your chorus chart the right path.Read more

7 Tips for Photographing Your Chorus

These tips from choruses and the photographers they work with will help you get images that represent your organization at its best.Read more

Boards, Measure Thyselves!

The most effective boards measure their own performance. Governance expert Nancy Axelrod shares her insights into self-evaluation for your organization.Read more

10 Articles to Jumpstart Your Chorus's Year-End Fundraising

Turning leaves and the appearance of pumpkin lattes mean that fall is just around the corner—which means it's time to start thinking about your chorus's end-of-year fundraising campaign. But where do you begin? Here is a collection of articles...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

Recruitment Strategies for Children's Choruses

Jan-Marie Petersen | Children/Youth, Community Outreach, Recruitment, Schools, Social Media

Growing challenges in recruiting singers has led to creative tactics and new successes Read more

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Never Ask for Money!

Four Steps To Greater Fundraising Success

Kelly Ruggirello | Fundraising, Governance, Management/Leadership, Recruitment

A values-based strategy that aims to match donors with ways that they can give back to their communities—and removes the ego factor that can make fundraising scary. Read more

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Guerilla Concerts

Susan Swaney | Audiences, Community Outreach, Innovation, Marketing/Public Relations

Singing is an anywhere, anytime activity in many parts of the world. There, it's not something you go to—it's something you are. What if we took music out into the world rather than always asking people to come to it? One ensemble endeavors to do just that by taking choral music to the most unlikely places. Read more

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Get the Media Attention Your Chorus Deserves

Kathy Bonk | Audiences, Marketing/Public Relations

Getting the word out to your local media is one of the best ways to ensure that arts patrons and the public know about the good work your chorus is doing. Here are tips for getting your chorus activities and performances noticed. Read more

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Important Rights and Permission Resources

Chorus America Staff | Legal/Licensing, Technique/Tool

A list of websites and resources to use to ensure that your chorus stays on the right side of legal. Read more

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CD or Not CD

Matthew Sigman | Legal/Licensing, Marketing/Public Relations

On the internet all choruses are equal: Even the smallest ensemble with limited resources can now establish a global presence using digital technology to spread its sound. Here we offer some advice on how to decide which sound format is best for your chorus. Read more

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The Crowd Snores

Brian Kellow | Audiences, Community Outreach, Innovation, Marketing/Public Relations

Are we chasing audiences with marketing and theatrics at the expense of real engagement? Some observations and lessons from the world of opera. Read more

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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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Resources

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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Chorus Operations Survey Report (2011)

Roland Kushner | Evaluation, Finance, Fundraising, Governance, Management/Leadership, Marketing/Public Relations, Operations, Research/Data, Technique/Tool

Chorus America's annual survey of the operations of choruses, the Operations Survey Report includes more than 40 different analyses, from number of board meetings to board giving, from ticket pricing to chorus dues amounts, from accompanist pay practices to marketing efficiency. The 2011 report features data from the 2009-2010 season. Read more

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Strategic Plan Template

Chorus America Staff | Governance, Sample/Template, Strategic Planning

Use this template as a guide for your chorus. Read more

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Soloist Contract

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

Use this basic sample letter of agreement to hire vocal or instrumental soloists (or a guest ensemble). Read more

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Singer Information Form

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

Use this template as a guide for collecting useful information about new and returning singers during auditions. Read more

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Singer Handbook Table of Contents

Chorus America Staff | Operations, Performance, Rehearsal, Sample/Template, Singing

Most choruses provide singers with a handbook for participation; use this sample table of contents to make sure you haven't forgotten any policies. Read more

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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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Music Director Search Audition Evaluation Form

A Sample from the Dessoff Choirs

Chorus America Staff | Careers, Conducting, Evaluation, Management/Leadership, Operations, Recruitment, Sample/Template

A rating form for singers to use when evaluating all potential conductors during a search. Read more

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Music Director Search Audition Evaluation Form

Template for Evaluating Finalists

Chorus America Staff | Careers, Conducting, Evaluation, Management/Leadership, Operations, Recruitment, Sample/Template

A rating form for singers to use when evaluating conductors who have been identified as finalists during a music director search. Read more

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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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Events

UPDATE on New York Choral Consortium's Free Winter Workshop!. NEW TOPIC: Know and Grow Your Audience and Technology Tools That Can Help, plus Stealthy Ear Training -- This Saturday January 10 -- Reserve Now!

NY, NY

Cathy Fischer -... | Education, Rehearsal, Singing, Technique/Tool

New York Choral Consortium is proud to present a day-long workshop on audience development and choral ear training at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, in NYC, from 9:30 am to 4 pm. Complimentary breakfast and lunch will be served, providing excellent opportunities to network and mingle with your colleagues from across the choral community. Read more

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Coro Allegro Presents: American Visions

Boston, MA

Coro Allegro | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, Awards, CA News, Careers, Children/Youth, Civic Engagement, Community Outreach, Composing/Commissioning, Conducting, Diversity, Education, Evaluation, Families, Finance, Fundraising, General, Governance, Government/Policy, Health, History, Impact/Value, Innovation, Legal/Licensing, Management/Leadership, Marketing/Public Relations, Networking, Operations, Participation, Performance, Professional, Profile, Recruitment, Rehearsal, Repertoire, Research/Data, Sample/Template, Schools, Science, Singing, Social Media, Strategic Planning, Symphonic, Technique/Tool, Technology, Venue, Volunteer

Coro Allegro, Boston’s award-winning classical chorus for members, friends, and allies of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, and Artistic Director David Hodgkins present “American Visions”, 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 9, at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough Street, Boston. Read more

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NYCC Fall Workshop on Choral Karma – Getting Our Shared Community to Show Up and the Commissioning Process

1047 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10025

Cathy Fischer -... | Audiences, Composing/Commissioning

Choral Karma - Getting Our Shared Community to Show Up! Is the marketing process or the idea of social media weighing you down? Don't know where to start or why those things you've tried aren't working? Need to expand your audience past the friends and family market, but don't know how? We all need some NYC "Choral Karma." Our expert clinician will lead a rousing discussion using a unique crowd-sourcing technique for revealing ideas and share expert tips and planning strategies for effective marketing of our choral music concerts here in NYC. Let's figure out how to get our music in the ears and hearts of every New Yorker! The Commissioning Process Have you always wanted to commission a new work for your choir, but worried that the process would be daunting or difficult for you or your singers? Let your friends at NYCC set your mind at ease. Hear the stories, the do's and don'ts, and get expert inside tips for successful collaborations between composers and choral conductors. A panel of distinguished artists from all sides of the spectrum will pave the way for your next (or first!) exciting project bringing new music to life for the first time! We'll even include a comprehensive info packet to help you get started! Read more

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The Collegiate Chorale Announces Expansion of Executive Staff: Ted Sperling, Artistic Director; Edward Barnes, Producing Director

New York, NY

emilymt | Professional

THE COLLEGIATE CHORALE Announces An Expansion of its Executive Staff: Ted Sperling, Artistic Director Edward Barnes, Producing Director Join Music Director James Bagwell and Executive Director Jennifer Collins Read more

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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