Dominick DiOrio is one of the youngest people ever to be hired on the conducting faculty at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He leads NOTUS, a 30-member auditioned ensemble that specializes in music of the last 50 years. Chorus America talked to DiOrio about his own compositions and his passion for finding and performing the music of contemporary composers.

If you’ve been on the internet during the past month, you’ve probably seen the quirky viral video of a chorus and orchestra covering the popular, can’t-get-it-out-of-your head song “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen. There are hundreds of other videos online covering the song, ranging from topics like NFL replacement referees to the United States Olympic swim team, so what makes this one so special? With more than two million hits and counting on YouTube, mentions in newspapers around the country, and even a featured performance on the Today Show, who knew choral music could go so viral?

A renowned composer and choral artist discuss the challenges of choosing and setting texts—what every composer, conductor, and chorus seeking to commission a new choral work should know.

The Los Angeles Master Chorale’s education outreach program leads young people into the heart of the creative process

This peripatetic Jenny Appleseed of melody continues to traverse the country as a distinguished teacher, coach, conductor, and advocate for words and melody

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.

Chorus America/ASCAP Award winners describe their commitment to new music and share strategies for building programs, cultivating audiences, collaborating with composers, and bringing new music to life.