Article

Summer is a perfect time for getting out of old routines and devoting time to music. New England holds some special retreats that offer programs where choral singers can get away for a week or more to focus and learn; elsewhere, singers take advantage of summer freedom to rehearse and perform a special choral work. Many choruses open their doors to the public to host “summer sings,” where participants sing a masterwork in a single session under expert direction, and often with professional soloists— a perfect way to participate in great music with a minimum commitment.

This article is a more extensive (and corrected) version of that in the November 2015 print newsletter

Choral music continues to flourish in New England. Nearly 500 performances are listed on the Choral Arts New England events calendar between September 2015 and June 2016. Here are just a few season highlights. See the online calendar for the complete and up-to-date set.

We regret to report the death, on October 1, 2015, of Elaine Panaretos Bowditch, one of the founders of Choral Arts New England, who served on our Board in virtually every capacity from 1985–1997. Elaine’s leadership and energy contributed greatly to our organization, and her life-long love of singing and of choruses was a constant inspiration. We remember her with gratitude and joy.

In 1990, the Cantata Singers developed a unique collaborative program with the Boston Public Schools, called Classroom Cantatas, in which elementary, middle and high school students create and perform their own musical “cantatas.” The program has since touched the lives of thousands of children.

The 2015 recipient of the Alfred Nash Patterson Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr. Ann Howard Jones, is Professor Emerita of Music at Boston University, where she served for 24 years before her retirement this year. At Boston University, she was director of choral activities, conducted the Symphonic and Chamber Choruses, supervised conducting students in the Concert Chorus and the Women’s Chorale, taught graduate choral conducting, and administered the M.M. and D.M.A.

Listed below are the choral programs in the 2015-2016 season for 26 selected orchestras in major cities throughout the United States. Some of the orchestras are affiliated with "official" choruses; others draw on outside groups to perform in choral concerts. Where there is an official chorus, the founding date and current director are listed following the orchestra name. In some cases, "official" choruses perform additional concerts without the sponsoring orchestra. Those are noted in the listing.

Summer is a perfect time for getting out of old routines and devoting time to music. New England holds some special retreats that offer programs where choral singers can get away for a week or more to focus and learn; elsewhere, singers take advantage of summer freedom to rehearse and perform a special choral work. Many choruses open their doors to the public to host “summer sings,” where participants sing a masterwork in a single session under expert direction, and often with professional soloists— a perfect way to participate in great music with a minimum commitment.

New Englanders have plenty of choral music to chose from! To date, some 200 events from late January to June 2015 have been posted to the Choral Arts New England events calendar. Here, we list a few highlights of the season. Most listings include a link to the performer's website, where there will be further concert information and directions for obtaining tickets. See our online calendar (www.choralarts-newengland.org/Calendar) for the most complete and up-to-date set.

Choral music is especially vibrant live and in person, but a well-made choral recording can also be a source of great beauty. Here are this year’s Grammy nominations for Best Choral Performance (winners are announced on February 8):

Chorus America will hold its annual conference in Boston on June 17–20, 2015, hosted by the Handel and Haydn Society. A unique opportunity for choral leaders and singers to meet others with similar interests and to discover new aspects of choral music, the event typically brings together more than 400 choral conductors, administrators, singers, board members, and business members. There are plenary and breakout sessions with nationally known speakers, networking events, and concerts featuring leading area choruses.