Choral Arts Society of Washington
Encyclopedia
The Choral Arts Society of Washington is a major choral organization based in Washington, D.C.
Founded in 1965 by Norman Scribner
, it is regarded as one of the premier symphonic choruses in Washington and the United States.
and the National Presbyterian Church
.
The chorus also regularly performs with the National Symphony Orchestra, both at the Kennedy Center and at the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
. Of the NSO’s guest artists, the CASW Chorus leads the list, having performed with the NSO more frequently than any other guest. The chorus has also performed with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
, BBC Symphony, London Symphony Orchestra
, Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra
, New York Philharmonic
, Paris Opera Orchestra, and Prague Symphony Orchestra
, among others.
The chorus has performed with many notable conductors, including Leonard Bernstein
, Christoph Eschenbach
, Leon Fleisher
, Valery Gergiev
, Lorin Maazel
, Helmuth Rilling
, Mstislav Rostropovich
, Robert Shaw
, and Leonard Slatkin
.
In recent years, the chorus has made regular annual television appearances, including A Capitol Fourth
(Washington's annual Independence Day
celebration), and the Kennedy Center Honors
. The chorus has also occasionally appeared in the televised gala at Ford's Theatre
. In 2000, the chorus appeared in an episode
of The West Wing
involving a major character's recovery from music-induced post-traumatic stress disorder.
Since 2004, the Society has presented an annual Humanitarian Award honoring individuals who have furthered Dr. King's legacy. Honorees have included Dorothy Height
, Congressman John Lewis, and Marian Wright Edelman
.
The Society's educational programs reach K-12 teachers and students, including students in the District of Columbia Public Schools
, through in-school programming, a partner high school program, and specially designed curricular materials. The educational programs also reach prospective arts professionals at the university level through the Society's arts administration internships. In 2008, the programs won the District of Columbia Mayor's Arts Award for Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education.
, Valery Gergiev, Mstislav Rostropovich, Norman Scribner, and Leonard Slatkin.
On January 19, 1973, the chorus appeared (as the "Norman Scribner Singers") in A Concert for Peace at the Washington National Cathedral
. The program featured the Mass in Time of War
by Joseph Haydn
. A recording of the performance received a 1973 Grammy Award Nomination for Best Choral Recording, with Scribner and Leonard Bernstein
as co-nominees. (The concert was intended as a protest of the Vietnam War, and of the official Kennedy Center concert that same evening celebrating the second inauguration of Richard Nixon
.)
A 1996 recording of John Corigliano
's Of Rage And Remembrance received the 1996 Grammy Award for Best Classical Recording, with a certificate awarded to the men of the Choral Arts Society.
arrived on the Washington music scene in 1960, accepting a position as musical staff assistant for the Washington National Cathedral
, choirmaster of St. Alban's Episcopal Church, and chapel organist for the St. Albans School for Boys
. In 1963, he was appointed as staff keyboard artist for the National Symphony Orchestra
, and that fall he conducted - and recruited a choir for - the Symphony's annual production of Handel
's Messiah
after conductor Howard Mitchell
"was impressed by his ability and intensity." The choir was reassembled for subsequent Messiah performances (appearing as the "National Symphony Orchestra Chorus"), but in 1965 it was decided to form an independent organization under Scribner's direction. The first concert on February 9, 1966 was a performance of Zoltán Kodály
's Missa Brevis on an evening that also featured the Limón Dance Company
.
The Choral Arts Society of Washington was formally incorporated on November 23, 1966. In 1968, the still-new group participated in the funeral procession of Robert F. Kennedy
. By 1970, the chorus was composed of 100 voices and the organization had "both broadened and deepened its contacts with the community of greater Washington." That September, it received a $5,000 matching grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
- the first ever given directly to a performing chorus, and given with the "personal imprimatur" of NEA chairman Nancy Hanks
. Aided by this and other funding, the Society was able to extend its concert season, expand its public service programming, and "retain Scribner on an annual salary for the first time," allowing him "to devote his full time to the post." The funding also allowed the group to "try more diversified programs, ranging from symphonic assignments to small chamber appearances using only a fraction of the entire 100-voice ensemble."
On September 8, 1971, members of the chorus participated (as the professional "Norman Scribner Choir") in the world premiere of Bernstein's MASS. The performance was part of the opening festivities for the Kennedy Center. Following its opening, Scribner was credited with "mov[ing] effectively to take advantage of the resources of the Kennedy Center, making it the central performing platform for his chorus." On October 29, 1974, the chorus performed underground for a ceremony during the construction of the Washington Metro
, in the Metro Center station.
In 1981, the New York TImes characterized the Choral Arts Society as "an excellent chorus of the type found today in many large American cities, with solid musicianship, smooth tone and competence in a wide range of choral repertory." The choir often collaborated with the NSO under Mstislav Rostropovich during his tenure as NSO music director (1977–94), and he independently led the chorus in performances of Rachmaninoff's Vespers on several occasions during the 1980s. A landmark 1987 recording of the Vespers - the first by an American chorus - significantly increased interest in recording the work among other choirs in the United States and elsewhere.
In 1990, Rostropovich would state that "[t]he existence of this wonderful group ... has completely changed the life of Washington, D.C." By then, the organization - "long a mom-and-pop operation" - had "metamorphosed into a highly professional enterprise" that included a full-time administrative staff, a "new and very active board," an endowment campaign, and a program devoted to minority participation in choral music in Washington. In 1993, the chorus would embark on its first two international tours - a summer tour to Italy, and a fall tour with the NSO to Russia that received world media attention (see Tours, above).
In August 2010, Scribner announced that he will retire as artistic director on August 31, 2012. The Society is currently in a search process for a new director for the 2012-13 season and beyond.
In recent years, the Society has reduced its operating budget by 20 percent in response to the late-2000s recession. The Society received over $300,000 from the National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs program in 2010, but a reduction in funding for that program in the enacted 2011 United States federal budget
was expected to impact the Society's operations. However, the Society remains one of about 32 choruses in the United States (and three in Washington) with annual budgets exceeding $1 million.
The Society holds an annual black-tie holiday benefit concert and gala, an event described as "a highlight of the holiday social season" in Washington. The funds raised by the gala account for 30 percent of the Society's annual budget.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Founded in 1965 by Norman Scribner
Norman Scribner
Norman Orville Scribner is an American conductor, composer, pianist, and organist. He is most widely known as the founder of The Choral Arts Society of Washington, and as its artistic director for over 45 years.-Biography:...
, it is regarded as one of the premier symphonic choruses in Washington and the United States.
Concerts
The Choral Arts Society features a symphonic chorus of approximately 180 volunteer singers. It produces an annual series of subscription concerts, typically presented at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsJohn F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C...
and the National Presbyterian Church
National Presbyterian Church
The National Presbyterian Church is a church located in Washington, D.C. affiliated with the Presbyterian Church .-Location:NPC is located in the Tenleytown neighborhood in Washington on Nebraska Avenue next to NBC and across from the Japanese Embassy...
.
The chorus also regularly performs with the National Symphony Orchestra, both at the Kennedy Center and at the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, known locally in the Washington, D.C. area as simply Wolf Trap, is a performing arts center located on 130 acres of national park land in Wolf Trap, Virginia...
. Of the NSO’s guest artists, the CASW Chorus leads the list, having performed with the NSO more frequently than any other guest. The chorus has also performed with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Robert Spano has been its music director since 2001...
, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is a professional American symphony orchestra based in Baltimore, Maryland.In September 2007, Maestra Marin Alsop led her inaugural concerts as the Orchestra’s twelfth music director, making her the first woman to head a major American orchestra.The BSO Board...
, BBC Symphony, London Symphony Orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
, Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra
Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra
The Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra or the Kirov Orchestra is located in the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia. The orchestra was founded in 1783 during the reign of Peter the Great, it was known before the revolution as the Russian Imperial Opera Orchestra...
, New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
, Paris Opera Orchestra, and Prague Symphony Orchestra
Prague Symphony Orchestra
The Prague Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1934 by Rudolf Pekárek. In the 1930s the orchestra performed the scores for many Czech films, and also appeared regularly on Czech radio. An early promoter of the orchestra was Dr...
, among others.
The chorus has performed with many notable conductors, including Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
, Christoph Eschenbach
Christoph Eschenbach
Christoph Eschenbach , born February 20, 1940, Breslau, Germany is a German-born pianist and conductor. He currently holds positions in Washington, D.C. as music director of the National Symphony Orchestra and music director of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.-Early...
, Leon Fleisher
Leon Fleisher
Leon Fleisher is an American pianist and conductor.-Early life and studies:Fleisher was born in San Francisco, where he started studying the piano at age four...
, Valery Gergiev
Valery Gergiev
Valery Abisalovich Gergiev is a Russian conductor and opera company director. He is general director and artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre, principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, and artistic director of the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg.- Early life :Gergiev,...
, Lorin Maazel
Lorin Maazel
Lorin Varencove Maazel is an American conductor, violinist and composer.- Early life :Maazel was born to Jewish-American parents in Neuilly-sur-Seine in France and brought up in the United States, primarily at his parents' home in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood. His father, Lincoln Maazel , was...
, Helmuth Rilling
Helmuth Rilling
Helmuth Rilling is an internationally known German choral conductor, founder of the Gächinger Kantorei , the Bach-Collegium Stuttgart , the Oregon Bach Festival , the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart and other Bach Academies worldwide, and the "Festival Ensemble Stuttgart"...
, Mstislav Rostropovich
Mstislav Rostropovich
Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich, KBE , known to close friends as Slava, was a Soviet and Russian cellist and conductor. He was married to the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya. He is widely considered to have been the greatest cellist of the second half of the 20th century, and one of the greatest of...
, Robert Shaw
Robert Shaw (conductor)
Robert Shaw was an American conductor most famous for his work with his namesake Chorale, with the Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Shaw received 14 Grammy awards, four ASCAP awards for service to contemporary music, the first Guggenheim Fellowship...
, and Leonard Slatkin
Leonard Slatkin
Leonard Edward Slatkin is an American conductor and composer.-Early life and education:Slatkin was born in Los Angeles to a musical family that came from areas of the Russian Empire now in Ukraine. His father Felix Slatkin was the violinist, conductor and founder of the Hollywood String Quartet,...
.
In recent years, the chorus has made regular annual television appearances, including A Capitol Fourth
A Capitol Fourth
A Capitol Fourth is a free annual concert performed on the west lawn of the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., in celebration of the Independence Day. Broadcast live on PBS and NPR, the concert is viewed and heard by millions across The United States and the world, as well as...
(Washington's annual Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
celebration), and the Kennedy Center Honors
Kennedy Center Honors
The Kennedy Center Honors is an annual honor given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. The Honors have been presented annually since 1978 in Washington, D.C., during gala weekend-long events which culminate in a performance for—and...
. The chorus has also occasionally appeared in the televised gala at Ford's Theatre
Ford's Theatre
Ford's Theatre is a historic theater in Washington, D.C., used for various stage performances beginning in the 1860s. It is also the site of the assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865...
. In 2000, the chorus appeared in an episode
Noël (The West Wing)
-Plot:Due to his colleagues' growing concern over his behavior Josh spends the day with Stanley Keyworth, a psychotherapist from the American Trauma Victims Association . Stanley notices Josh's bandaged hand and asks about it. Even though Stanley makes it clear that he doesn't believe him, Josh...
of The West Wing
The West Wing (TV series)
The West Wing is an American television serial drama created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999 to May 14, 2006...
involving a major character's recovery from music-induced post-traumatic stress disorder.
Community Outreach and Education
The Society maintains an active community outreach program, including an annual Christmas concert designed for families with young children, and an annual choral tribute concert dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
Since 2004, the Society has presented an annual Humanitarian Award honoring individuals who have furthered Dr. King's legacy. Honorees have included Dorothy Height
Dorothy Height
Dorothy Irene Height was an American administrator, educator, and social activist. She was the president of the National Council of Negro Women for forty years, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2004.-Early life:Height was born in...
, Congressman John Lewis, and Marian Wright Edelman
Marian Wright Edelman
Marian Wright Edelman is an American activist for the rights of children. She is president and founder of the Children's Defense Fund.-Early years:...
.
The Society's educational programs reach K-12 teachers and students, including students in the District of Columbia Public Schools
District of Columbia Public Schools
District of Columbia Public Schools is the traditional public school system of Washington, D.C. in the United States.- Composition and enrollment :...
, through in-school programming, a partner high school program, and specially designed curricular materials. The educational programs also reach prospective arts professionals at the university level through the Society's arts administration internships. In 2008, the programs won the District of Columbia Mayor's Arts Award for Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education.
Tours
The Choral Arts Society has toured both domestically and internationally. Previous international tours have taken the chorus to:- 1993 - ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
- The chorus participated in the Festival dei Due MondiFestival dei Due MondiThe Festival dei Due Mondi ' is an annual summer music and opera festival held each June to early July in Spoleto, Italy, since its founding by composer Gian Carlo Menotti in 1958...
in SpoletoSpoletoSpoleto is an ancient city in the Italian province of Perugia in east central Umbria on a foothill of the Apennines. It is S. of Trevi, N. of Terni, SE of Perugia; SE of Florence; and N of Rome.-History:...
, giving performances of the BerliozHector BerliozHector Berlioz was a French Romantic composer, best known for his compositions Symphonie fantastique and Grande messe des morts . Berlioz made significant contributions to the modern orchestra with his Treatise on Instrumentation. He specified huge orchestral forces for some of his works; as a...
RequiemRequiem (Berlioz)The Grande Messe des morts, Op. 5 by Hector Berlioz was composed in 1837. The Grande Messe des Morts is one of Berlioz's best-known works, with a tremendous orchestration of woodwind and brass instruments, including four antiphonal offstage brass ensembles placed at the corners of the concert stage...
and the RachmaninoffSergei RachmaninoffSergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music...
Vespers. The chorus also performed in RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
at the Church of the Twelve Holy ApostlesSanti ApostoliThe Church of the Twelve Holy Apostles is a 6th century Roman Catholic parish and titular church and minor basilica in Rome, Italy, dedicated originally to St. James and St. Philip and later to all Apostles...
, for High MassHigh MassHigh Mass may mean:*Solemn Mass, a Tridentine Mass celebrated with deacon and subdeacon *Missa Cantata, a sung Tridentine Mass without deacon and subdeacon...
at St. Peter's BasilicaSt. Peter's BasilicaThe Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
in the VaticanVatican CityVatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
, and in San GinesioSan GinesioSan Ginesio is a comune in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about 60 km southwest of Ancona and about 25 km southwest of Macerata...
.- 1993 - RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
- 1993 - Russia
- The chorus joined with Mstislav Rostropovich and the National Symphony Orchestra for a performance of the finale from Prokofiev'sSergei ProkofievSergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
Alexander NevskyAlexander Nevsky (Prokofiev)Alexander Nevsky is the score for the 1938 Sergei Eisenstein film Alexander Nevsky, composed by Sergei Prokofiev. He later rearranged the music in the form of a cantata for mezzo-soprano, chorus, and orchestra...
in Moscow'sMoscowMoscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
Red SquareRed SquareRed Square is a city square in Moscow, Russia. The square separates the Kremlin, the former royal citadel and currently the official residence of the President of Russia, from a historic merchant quarter known as Kitai-gorod...
. The concert was attended by 100,000 people, including Russian President Boris YeltsinBoris YeltsinBoris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
. The chorus also performed in Bolshoi Hall at the Moscow ConservatoryMoscow ConservatoryThe Moscow Conservatory is a higher musical education institution in Moscow, and the second oldest conservatory in Russia after St. Petersburg Conservatory. Along with the St...
, and in Saint PetersburgSaint PetersburgSaint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
at the Glinka Capella and the Bolshoi Zal of the Saint Petersburg PhilharmoniaSaint Petersburg PhilharmoniaSaint Petersburg Philharmonia is a music society located in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and is the name of the building where it is housed. The Bolshoi Zal of this building is one of the best known music halls in Russia. Also there is another one building of Saint Petersburg Philarmonic Society:...
. Due to Yeltsin's attendance in Red Square during the midst of the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis, and because the tour represented a homecoming for Rostropovich after the fall of the Soviet UnionSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, the tour (and the Red Square performance in particular) received significant attention in the world press.- 1996 - FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
- 1996 - France
- The chorus performed at the Evian Festival in Évian-les-BainsÉvian-les-BainsÉvian-les-Bains or Évian is a commune in the northern part of the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France...
, in ArlesArlesArles is a city and commune in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the former province of Provence....
, and at the Auvers-sur-OiseAuvers-sur-OiseAuvers-sur-Oise is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. It is associated with several famous artists, the most prominent being Vincent van Gogh.-History:...
Festival. The chorus also performed in ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
at the SorbonneSorbonneThe Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
Grand Amphitheatre and for High MassHigh MassHigh Mass may mean:*Solemn Mass, a Tridentine Mass celebrated with deacon and subdeacon *Missa Cantata, a sung Tridentine Mass without deacon and subdeacon...
at Notre Dame CathedralNotre Dame de ParisNotre Dame de Paris , also known as Notre Dame Cathedral, is a Gothic, Roman Catholic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris: that is, it is the church that contains the cathedra of...
.- 2001 - ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
- 2001 - Italy
- The chorus performed in the final concert of the Festival dei Due MondiFestival dei Due MondiThe Festival dei Due Mondi ' is an annual summer music and opera festival held each June to early July in Spoleto, Italy, since its founding by composer Gian Carlo Menotti in 1958...
in SpoletoSpoletoSpoleto is an ancient city in the Italian province of Perugia in east central Umbria on a foothill of the Apennines. It is S. of Trevi, N. of Terni, SE of Perugia; SE of Florence; and N of Rome.-History:...
's Piazza del Duomo, joining the Spoleto Festival Orchestra and Choir for MendelssohnFelix MendelssohnJakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
's Die erste Walpurgisnacht and BorodinAlexander BorodinAlexander Porfiryevich Borodin was a Russian Romantic composer and chemist of Georgian–Russian parentage. He was a member of the group of composers called The Five , who were dedicated to producing a specifically Russian kind of art music...
's Polovetsian Dances. The chorus also performed the MozartWolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
RequiemRequiem (Mozart)The Requiem Mass in D minor by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was composed in Vienna in 1791 and left unfinished at the composer's death. A completion by Franz Xaver Süssmayr was delivered to Count Franz von Walsegg, who had anonymously commissioned the piece for a requiem Mass to commemorate the...
with the Sinfonica della Provincia di Bari as part of the festival, and performed a program of a cappellaA cappellaA cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
works in the Basilica Superiore (Upper Basilica) of the Cathedral of St. Francis of AssisiBasilica of San Francesco d'AssisiThe Papal Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Order of Friars Minor—commonly known as the Franciscan Order—in Assisi, Italy, the city where St. Francis was born and died. The basilica is one of the most important places of Christian pilgrimage in Italy...
in AssisiAssisi- Churches :* The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi is a World Heritage Site. The Franciscan monastery, il Sacro Convento, and the lower and upper church of St Francis were begun immediately after his canonization in 1228, and completed in 1253...
.- 2002 - EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
- 2002 - England
- Under the direction of Leonard SlatkinLeonard SlatkinLeonard Edward Slatkin is an American conductor and composer.-Early life and education:Slatkin was born in Los Angeles to a musical family that came from areas of the Russian Empire now in Ukraine. His father Felix Slatkin was the violinist, conductor and founder of the Hollywood String Quartet,...
, the chorus joined the BBC Symphony OrchestraBBC Symphony OrchestraThe BBC Symphony Orchestra is the principal broadcast orchestra of the British Broadcasting Corporation and one of the leading orchestras in Britain.-History:...
and the BBC Festival Chorus for a performance of Belshazzar's FeastBelshazzar's Feast (Walton)Belshazzar's Feast is an oratorio by the English composer William Walton. It was first performed at the Leeds Festival on 8 October 1931. The work has remained one of Walton's most celebrated compositions and one of the most popular works in the English choral repertoire...
at Royal Albert HallRoyal Albert HallThe Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
. The performance was the first night of The PromsThe PromsThe Proms, more formally known as The BBC Proms, or The Henry Wood Promenade Concerts presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Hall in London...
. The chorus also appeared with the City of London SinfoniaCity of London SinfoniaThe City of London Sinfonia is an English chamber orchestra based in London. In London, the CLS performs regularly at Cadogan Hall and St Paul's Cathedral. It is also the resident orchestra at Opera Holland Park. The CLS has annual residencies in four towns in Southern England: Ipswich, King's...
at the Cambridge Festival, and with the Manchester CamerataManchester CamerataThe Manchester Camerata is a British chamber orchestra based in Manchester, England. The orchestra was founded in the 1971–1972 season. A sub-group from the orchestra, the Manchester Camerata Ensemble, specialises in chamber music performances....
at the Chester Summer Music Festival and the Harrogate International Festival.- 2005 - ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
- 2005 - Argentina
- The chorus joined the Youth Orchestra of the Americas for two performances of Carmina BuranaCarmina Burana (Orff)Carmina Burana is a scenic cantata composed by Carl Orff in 1935 and 1936. It is based on 24 of the poems found in the medieval collection Carmina Burana...
at Teatro Colon in Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. The chorus also joined the Orquestra Petrobras Pró Música (now the Petrobras Symphony Orchestra) under the direction of Isaac KarabtchevskyIsaac KarabtchevskyIsaac Karabtchevsky in São Paulo) is a brazilian conductor of russian jew ancestry. He studied music and conducting in Germany, where his teachers included Wolfgang Fortner, Pierre Boulez and Carl Ueter....
for a performance of the VerdiGiuseppe VerdiGiuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
RequiemRequiem (Verdi)The Messa da Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi is a musical setting of the Roman Catholic funeral mass for four soloists, double choir and orchestra. It was composed in memory of Alessandro Manzoni, an Italian poet and novelist much admired by Verdi. The first performance in San Marco in Milan on 22 May...
at Teatro Municipal in Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
.- 2008 - EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
- 2008 - England
- Under the direction of Valery GergievValery GergievValery Abisalovich Gergiev is a Russian conductor and opera company director. He is general director and artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre, principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, and artistic director of the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg.- Early life :Gergiev,...
, the chorus joined the London Symphony OrchestraLondon Symphony OrchestraThe London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
, the London Symphony ChorusLondon Symphony ChorusThe London Symphony Chorus is a large symphonic concert choir based in London, England, consisting of over 150 amateur singers, and is one of the major symphony choruses of the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1966 as the LSO Chorus to complement the work of the London Symphony Orchestra...
and the Choir of Eltham CollegeEltham CollegeThis article is about the school in London, England. For the school in Research, Australia see Eltham College of Education.Eltham College is an independent school situated in Mottingham in south-east London...
for two performances of MahlerGustav MahlerGustav Mahler was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his generation. He was born in the village of Kalischt, Bohemia, in what was then Austria-Hungary, now Kaliště in the Czech Republic...
's Symphony No. 8Symphony No. 8 (Mahler)The Symphony No. 8 in E-flat major by Gustav Mahler is one of the largest-scale choral works in the classical concert repertoire. Because it requires huge instrumental and vocal forces it is frequently called the "Symphony of a Thousand", although the work is often performed with fewer than a...
at St Paul's CathedralSt Paul's CathedralSt Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
. The performances marked the conclusion of the annual City of London FestivalCity of London FestivalThe City of London Festival is an annual arts festival that takes place in the City of London, England, over two to three weeks in June and July. The Festival is strongly geared towards classical music, but also offers a programme that includes jazz, world music, opera, film screenings, lectures...
. A recording of the performances was commercially released.
Recordings
The Society's chorus (or subgroups of the chorus) has appeared on at least sixteen commercially released recordings since 1971. The Chorus has recorded under the batons of notable conductors including Antal DorátiAntal Doráti
Antal Doráti, KBE was a Hungarian-born conductor and composer who became a naturalized American citizen in 1947.-Biography:...
, Valery Gergiev, Mstislav Rostropovich, Norman Scribner, and Leonard Slatkin.
On January 19, 1973, the chorus appeared (as the "Norman Scribner Singers") in A Concert for Peace at the Washington National Cathedral
Washington National Cathedral
The Washington National Cathedral, officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. Of neogothic design, it is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world, the second-largest in...
. The program featured the Mass in Time of War
Missa in tempore belli
Missa in tempore belli is Joseph Haydn’s tenth, and one of the most popular, of his fourteen settings of the mass.This mass is catalogued Mass No. 10 in C major, , and is sometimes known as the Paukenmesse due to the inclusion of the timpani in its orchestration...
by Joseph Haydn
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
. A recording of the performance received a 1973 Grammy Award Nomination for Best Choral Recording, with Scribner and Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
as co-nominees. (The concert was intended as a protest of the Vietnam War, and of the official Kennedy Center concert that same evening celebrating the second inauguration of Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
.)
A 1996 recording of John Corigliano
John Corigliano
John Corigliano is an American composer of classical music and a teacher of music. He is a distinguished professor of music at Lehman College in the City University of New York.-Biography:...
's Of Rage And Remembrance received the 1996 Grammy Award for Best Classical Recording, with a certificate awarded to the men of the Choral Arts Society.
History
Norman ScribnerNorman Scribner
Norman Orville Scribner is an American conductor, composer, pianist, and organist. He is most widely known as the founder of The Choral Arts Society of Washington, and as its artistic director for over 45 years.-Biography:...
arrived on the Washington music scene in 1960, accepting a position as musical staff assistant for the Washington National Cathedral
Washington National Cathedral
The Washington National Cathedral, officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. Of neogothic design, it is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world, the second-largest in...
, choirmaster of St. Alban's Episcopal Church, and chapel organist for the St. Albans School for Boys
St. Albans School (Washington, D.C.)
St. Albans School is an independent college preparatory school for boys in grades 4–12, located in Washington, D.C. The school is named after Saint Alban, traditionally regarded as the first British martyr. Within the St...
. In 1963, he was appointed as staff keyboard artist for the National Symphony Orchestra
National Symphony Orchestra
The National Symphony Orchestra , founded in 1931, is an American symphony orchestra that performs at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.-History:...
, and that fall he conducted - and recruited a choir for - the Symphony's annual production of Handel
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
's Messiah
Messiah (Handel)
Messiah is an English-language oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, with a scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible and the Book of Common Prayer. It was first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742, and received its London premiere nearly a year later...
after conductor Howard Mitchell
Howard Mitchell
Howard Mitchell was an American cellist and conductor. He conducted the National Symphony Orchestra from 1950 to 1969....
"was impressed by his ability and intensity." The choir was reassembled for subsequent Messiah performances (appearing as the "National Symphony Orchestra Chorus"), but in 1965 it was decided to form an independent organization under Scribner's direction. The first concert on February 9, 1966 was a performance of Zoltán Kodály
Zoltán Kodály
Zoltán Kodály was a Hungarian composer, ethnomusicologist, pedagogue, linguist, and philosopher. He is best known internationally as the creator of the Kodály Method.-Life:Born in Kecskemét, Kodály learned to play the violin as a child....
's Missa Brevis on an evening that also featured the Limón Dance Company
José Limón
José Arcadio Limón was a pioneer in the field of modern dance and choreography. In 1928, at age 20, he moved to New York City where he studied under Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman. In 1946, Limón founded the José Limón Dance Company...
.
The Choral Arts Society of Washington was formally incorporated on November 23, 1966. In 1968, the still-new group participated in the funeral procession of Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
. By 1970, the chorus was composed of 100 voices and the organization had "both broadened and deepened its contacts with the community of greater Washington." That September, it received a $5,000 matching grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
- the first ever given directly to a performing chorus, and given with the "personal imprimatur" of NEA chairman Nancy Hanks
Nancy Hanks
Nancy Hanks Lincoln was the mother of Abraham Lincoln and of Sarah Lincoln after her marriage to Thomas Lincoln. After the family moved from Kentucky to Spencer County, Indiana, Nancy Lincoln died of milk sickness at the Little Pigeon Creek settlement...
. Aided by this and other funding, the Society was able to extend its concert season, expand its public service programming, and "retain Scribner on an annual salary for the first time," allowing him "to devote his full time to the post." The funding also allowed the group to "try more diversified programs, ranging from symphonic assignments to small chamber appearances using only a fraction of the entire 100-voice ensemble."
On September 8, 1971, members of the chorus participated (as the professional "Norman Scribner Choir") in the world premiere of Bernstein's MASS. The performance was part of the opening festivities for the Kennedy Center. Following its opening, Scribner was credited with "mov[ing] effectively to take advantage of the resources of the Kennedy Center, making it the central performing platform for his chorus." On October 29, 1974, the chorus performed underground for a ceremony during the construction of the Washington Metro
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
, in the Metro Center station.
In 1981, the New York TImes characterized the Choral Arts Society as "an excellent chorus of the type found today in many large American cities, with solid musicianship, smooth tone and competence in a wide range of choral repertory." The choir often collaborated with the NSO under Mstislav Rostropovich during his tenure as NSO music director (1977–94), and he independently led the chorus in performances of Rachmaninoff's Vespers on several occasions during the 1980s. A landmark 1987 recording of the Vespers - the first by an American chorus - significantly increased interest in recording the work among other choirs in the United States and elsewhere.
In 1990, Rostropovich would state that "[t]he existence of this wonderful group ... has completely changed the life of Washington, D.C." By then, the organization - "long a mom-and-pop operation" - had "metamorphosed into a highly professional enterprise" that included a full-time administrative staff, a "new and very active board," an endowment campaign, and a program devoted to minority participation in choral music in Washington. In 1993, the chorus would embark on its first two international tours - a summer tour to Italy, and a fall tour with the NSO to Russia that received world media attention (see Tours, above).
In August 2010, Scribner announced that he will retire as artistic director on August 31, 2012. The Society is currently in a search process for a new director for the 2012-13 season and beyond.
Organization
The Society operates with an annual budget of approximately $2 million, with income derived from ticket revenues, individual and corporate donations, and government grants. During its 25th anniversary season in 1989-1990, the Society held a $2.5 million campaign to raise $2 million for an endowment fund and $500,000 for current expenses.In recent years, the Society has reduced its operating budget by 20 percent in response to the late-2000s recession. The Society received over $300,000 from the National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs program in 2010, but a reduction in funding for that program in the enacted 2011 United States federal budget
2011 United States federal budget
The 2011 United States federal budget is the United States federal budget to fund government operations for the fiscal year 2011, which is October 2010–September 2011. The budget is the subject of a spending request by President Barack Obama...
was expected to impact the Society's operations. However, the Society remains one of about 32 choruses in the United States (and three in Washington) with annual budgets exceeding $1 million.
The Society holds an annual black-tie holiday benefit concert and gala, an event described as "a highlight of the holiday social season" in Washington. The funds raised by the gala account for 30 percent of the Society's annual budget.