City Choir of Washington

The City Choir of Washington is a 140-member professional-level volunteer mixed symphonic choir in Washington, D.C. composed of singers from throughout the Washington metropolitan area. The chorus is led by its founding artistic director Robert Shafer,^[2][3][4] Washington's Grammy award-winning conductor,^[5] educator, composer and church musician. The organization was incorporated in the District of Columbia in October 2006 and held its first performance in November 2007 at Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria, Virginia.

The City Choir has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra,^[6][7] The Washington National Opera at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,^[8][9][10] and at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts.^[11][12]

Mission

The City Choir is "committed to nurturing the next generation of performers and audience members."^[13]

Activities

During its first four seasons, the chorus presented several major works with orchestra, including the Monteverdi Marian Vespers of 1610, Bach’s Mass in B Minor,^[14][15] Handel’s Dixit Dominus, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass and Mass in Time of War,^[16] Maurice Duruflé's Requiem,^[17] the Mozart Requiem, the Vivaldi Gloria, Robert Shafer’s Lux Aeterna and Joel Puckett’s^[18] This Mourning.^[16]

TCCW's Excellence in the Arts award honors contributions to the arts in the greater Washington, DC area.^[19]

Community outreach and education

In February 2011, local businesses and chorus members sponsored tickets for Pentagon families affected by 9/11 and high school and college students as part of the organization’s community outreach efforts. TCCW’s artistic director and executive director often invite college-age music education students to attend rehearsals and participate in question and answer sessions following events.^[20]

Programs

• City Singers^[21][22] — TCCW's community outreach chamber choir that regularly performs for underserved segments of the community. The ensemble brings quality choral music — light classical, popular, secular, patriotic, show tunes, folk songs — to organizations and audiences who may not be able to attend its regular concerts.^[23]
• Partners in Song^[3][24] — a talented high school choral group joins TCCW for its annual Music for Christmas concert. The group performs several selections on its own and also joins the City Choir for part of the program.
• Young American Artists Program^[13] — one or more emerging performers from the Washington metropolitan area are selected to be featured soloists in one of TCCW's concerts. The vocalists are selected through a comprehensive audition process for young singers from throughout the region. Each Young American Artist receives private coaching from Robert Shafer.

References

External links

• Official Web Site
• Daybook: Event Calendar