New Amsterdam Singers is an avocational chorus based in New York City which specializes in a cappella and double chorus repertoire and regularly performs contemporary and commissioned works.
Clara Longstreth has served as music director of the chorus since 1968.
New Amsterdam Singers formed in 1971 from the remains of the Master Institute Chorus. Associated with the Bloomingdale House of Music from 1972 to 1978, the chorus became independent in 1978 and operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization under the management of an elected board of directors. Noted for its "adventurous" programming [1] and "handsome" performances, [2] the chorus presents three subscriptions concerts per season at venues such as Merkin Hall, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Immanuel Lutheran Church and St. Peter's Church at Citicorp. The chorus rehearses at Broadway Presbyterian Church on the upper west side of Manhattan. [3]
In addition to performing lesser-known works by major composers, the chorus has commissioned works by Paul Alan Levi (2011, 2002, 1994), Ronald Perera (2008, 1999), Behzad Ranjbaran (1999), Thomas Beveridge (1987) and Frances Heilbut (1974) and has premiered works by Kirke Mechem, [4] Abbie Betinis, Alex Weiser, [5] Charles Fussell, Matthew Harris, Daniel Pinkham, Michael Dellaira, and Mark Kilstofte, among others.
The chorus has performed under the batons of Everett Lee (1976), Leonard Bernstein (1984), [6] Newell Jenkins (1986) [7] and Marin Alsop (1998) [8] and has collaborated with diverse amateur and professional arts organizations including:
The chorus has toured regularly since 1985, performing in major halls and cathedrals in Greece, Spain, Poland, Portugal, England, Ireland, France, Turkey, Sweden, Italy, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Argentina and Uruguay. In the summer of 2010, the chorus presented a series of concerts in Cuba, and in 2013, performed as part of a choral festival in South Africa.
The chorus has made 2 original recordings, American Journey: Poetry and Song in the Twentieth Century (1993) [11] and (2003), [12] and released a 2-disc 40th Anniversary Collection of its best performances in 2008.
A choir is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which spans from the medieval era to the present, or popular music repertoire. Most choirs are led by a conductor, who leads the performances with arm, hand, and facial gestures.
The Chorus of Westerly is a 190-voice chorus based in Westerly, Rhode Island. It is one of the few choruses in the United States that has children singing alongside adults for every performance of its season. Members of the chorus come from all over Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut, with some members coming from as far as Bristol, Middlesex and Norfolk counties in Massachusetts. As part of its typical season, the chorus will present two "classical" concert series, a series of Christmas Pops concerts in December, seven performances of "A Celebration of Twelfth Night" in January, a guest choral ensemble in February, an 'a cappella' concert series in March, and Summer Pops, a large outdoor performance held in Westerly's Wilcox Park for audiences of 25,000 each June. For its classical and pops events, the Chorus performs with professional orchestral musicians from the Boston Musicians Association and from across Rhode Island.
Bella Voce is a Chicago-based chamber chorus specializing in classical a cappella music. It has been called "Chicago's premier professional chamber choir."
The Harvard Glee Club is a Tenor-Bass choral ensemble at Harvard University. Founded in 1858 in the tradition of English and American glee clubs, it is the oldest collegiate chorus in the United States. The Glee Club is part of the Harvard Choruses of Harvard University, which also include the treble voice Radcliffe Choral Society and the mixed-voice Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum. All three groups are led by Harvard's current Director of Choral Activities Andrew Gregory Clark.
Choral Arts Philadelphia is a 40-voice choir with an 8-voice professional core and semi-professional and amateur auditioned volunteer singers. The ensemble was founded in 1982 in Philadelphia as a symphonic chorus of 120+ voices. It is currently directed by Matthew Glandorf, who also serves on the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music. The group has performed nearly 200 works by more than 100 composers.
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The Ars Nova Singers is a choral ensemble based in Boulder, Colorado, USA. Founded in 1986, Ars Nova Singers is composed of about 40 selectively auditioned singers from the Boulder / Denver metropolitan area. Ars Nova has achieved significant national recognition, recording ten critically acclaimed solo recordings as well as performing on seven recordings with Boulder composer and instrumentalist Bill Douglas (musician).
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The Washington Symphonic Brass is an American professional modern brass ensemble, and a not-for-profit 501- (c)(3) arts organization. The ensemble performs in the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia areas. The WSB presents live concerts, produces commercial recordings, and educates young brass and percussion musicians. The WSB is the Ensemble-in-Residence at George Mason University and is a collaborative artist with the National Philharmonic Orchestra, the Fairfax Choral Society, and the Amadeus Orchestra.
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