Articles

The digital edition of our Summer/Conference 2023 issue of the Voice is here! Read more for a letter from the president & CEO Catherine Dehoney on collaborations that move the choral and arts fields forward, news from our members, an interview with 2023 Conference speaker Melanie DeMore on how healing and connection occur when singing together, testimonials from leaders who participated in Chorus America's ADEI Learning Lab on implementing what they learned at their organizations and communities, and strategies to help you refocus and reinspire your board.

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The digital edition of our Spring 2023 issue of the Voice is here! Read more for a letter from the president & CEO Catherine Dehoney on the step-by-step process behind Chorus America's news FY 2023-2025 strategic plan, news from our members, insights from six choral leaders on audience-building efforts, reflections on Brubeck's The Gates of Justice from performers of a festival hosted by the Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience, and a look into the social and emotional challenges young singers are facing following the lockdowns brought on by COVID-19 and how choral leaders and organizations are offering support.

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Young singers returning to choruses face new social and emotional challenges. In response, choral leaders and their organizations are making changes to programs to offer more support.

As 2022 came to an end, audiences that had been gradually returning to the concert hall began to pick up the pace. In December, many choral organizations experienced remarkable ticket sales for their holiday concerts, and reduced concerns about COVID may not be the only reasons for their success. We spoke with leaders of six choruses about their audience-building efforts and what is working well for them right now.

Sharing the step-by-step process and key approaches behind the creation of Chorus America’s new FY 2023-2025 Strategic Plan.

A revival of The Gates of Justice anchors a three-day festival that the Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience will present on February 26-28 in Los Angeles. Leading up to the performance, artists, and scholars involved with the festival reflected on the significance of Brubeck’s trailblazing cantata and how music and choral singing continue to be vehicles for probing issues of race and social justice.

SPONSORED STORY FROM A CHORUS AMERICA PARTNER

The first thing that most people might know about Berkshire Choral International is the immersive week-long experiences that BCI offers for adult singers and lifelong choral enthusiasts. Perhaps not as widely known is this choral institution's longstanding commitment to developing future generations of choral professionals. For more than 30 years, the BCI Apprentice Program has provided opportunities for young aspiring choral conductors, singers, and accompanists to gain valuable experience early in their careers. Chorus America spoke with staff members and recent apprentices from BCI to learn about what the Apprentice Program looks like in today's choral field.

The digital edition of our Fall/Winter 2022 issue of the Voice is here! Read more for a letter from the president & CEO Catherine Dehoney on opportunities guiding the choral field toward being more inclusive, news from our members, insight from choruses on making a first administrative hire, and an interview with Arreon Harley-Emerson about his career trajectory and changing the choral landscape for emerging leaders of color.

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Hiring an administrator is one of the most significant steps volunteer-run choruses can take to support their organization’s growth and development. During the height of the pandemic, most organizations were too busy staying afloat to make that kind of move, but recently a number of choruses have decided they are ready for the plunge. The five organizations represented in this story are facing today's hiring challenges by relying on strategies that evidence an increasing willingness to think big.

Conductor, administrative leader, and scholar Arreon Harley Emerson’s personal and professional development weaves together many different strands into a singular story. As an equity coach and nonprofit strategist, he consults with arts and cultural organizations to center diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in their work. As the former director of music and operations at the Choir School of Delaware, Harley-Emerson led an organization with a legacy of serving Wilmington’s youth and families that dates back to 1883.

SPONSORED STORY FROM A CHORUS AMERICA PARTNER

Music education - and inspiring a new generation of singers - is central to the mission of Albany Pro Musica, which has been elevating choral music in New York's Capital Region since 1981. Now, the chorus is embarking on its largest educational project yet, launching the inaugural Pro Musica International Choral Festival to be held in the summer of 2023. In partnership with the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts at Queen’s University in Ontario and the University at Albany, this new festival will bring students across the U.S. and Canada together to study and perform with distinguished faculty and world-class musicians. Thanks to a generous grant from Bader Philanthropies, Inc., the costs of tuition, room, and board are fully covered for every participating student.

With its longstanding commitment to working with young singers, Albany Pro Musica understands the value of bringing in a top-notch faculty to engage with the students, including one person with whom the Chorus America community is certainly familiar. We asked Rollo Dilworth, our current board member and past chair, a few questions about the inaugural festival, where he will serve as festival guest conductor and composer, and direct the closing performance including a new work commissioned from him for the festival.

The digital edition of our Summer 2022 issue of the Voice is here! Read more for a letter from the president & CEO Catherine Dehoney reflecting on the 2022 Chorus America Conference,  news from our members, the 2022 Chorus Operations Survey Report, and Singing All of Us: A New Article Series.  

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