Voice 48.2- Spring 2025

Audience Surveys for Organizational Change

Recommitting to Growing Contributed Dollars

The Vital Role of Symphonic Choruses

FORWARD, TOGETHER Strengthening Choruses for the Future

CHORUS AMERICA ONLINE COMMUNITY

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Liza W. Beth

Managing Editor

Kaeli Todd

Publisher Christopher Eanes

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DLG Design, Inc.

The Voice is published by Chorus America, Washington, DC. Copyright ©2025 by Chorus America. All rights reserved. ISSN 1074-0805. Reproduction or translation of any work herein without the express permission of Chorus America is unlawful.

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Vice President of Communications and Membership

Liza W. Beth

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Karyn Castro

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Casey Cook

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Anne Grobstich Erps

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Hannah Grasso-McClain

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Victoria Kennedy

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Anthony Khong

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Christie McKinney

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James Pennington

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Kim Theodore Sidey

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Vale Southard

Discover FRESH CHORAL ADVENTURES at

Small Budgets, Giant Impact

It’s time to harness the power of our collective voice

Small budgets, giant impact. This is how I describe our sector to folks who don’t know much about the choral world. Think about it: How many choral organizations do we know of that operate on, say, less than $100,000 per year? $50,000? Less?

But consider the impact each singing community has on those in its orbit: Each of us can tell a story of a time our chorus changed a life in some small (or large) way. These organizations serve not just as our musical outlets, but our social centers, our found families, and, in some cases, our jobs.

To be successful, our artform requires much less direct funding than, say, an opera company, and yet we have a collective impact that is far greater than we often stop to consider. To wit: Are you aware that there are approximately 55 million adult and youth choral singers in the United States? That number is larger—by far—than most other participatory activities, arts or otherwise. Choral singing has more participants than America’s pastime (baseball, 17 million). Nearly as many people sing in choruses as attend religious services every week (about 65 million).

Our power is in our collective size, our focus on community, and our accessibility, and I think it’s time to put our voices to work. Choruses today are facing increasing costs, unstable ticket sales, and uncertain government funding. The challenges facing arts organizations today require us to be more than exceptional musicians and administrators; we must also be passionate, articulate advocates for the transformative value of choral singing.

I like to think about advocacy in two ways: as “lowercase-a” advocacy, which is what we do every day to ensure our programs have the resources and support they need to thrive, and “capital-A” Advocacy, which is where we work to gain visibility and support from federal, state, or local government. And each of us has a role to play in both.

Intentionally or not, each of you is engaged in advocacy through the work you do in the choral field. Think about it: If you have written a grant of any kind, you are advocating for your program. When you create programming that addresses local needs or you create school partnerships to support youth music-making, you are advocating for the role of music in your community.

At Chorus America, our role is to help you advocate for your programs and to serve as your capital-A Advocates on the national stage. The way we do this is through:

The challenges facing arts organizations today require us to be more than exceptional musicians and administrators; we must also be passionate, articulate advocates for the transformative value of choral singing.

Research & data collection: Chorus America conducts and publishes research on the impact of choral singing so that we collectively have the tools to make the case for support.

Policy engagement: Chorus America represents the interests of the choral field in arts policy discussions at the federal level, advocating for funding, championing beneficial tax law, and more.

Without our members, our voice is small. With you, however, we have an army. Imagine 55 million letters to members of Congress. Envision what we could do with our collective voice when we need to fight for the issues that impact us all.

I hope you will each raise your voice when called upon to do so. During my tenure at Chorus America, I hope to sharpen our tool of collective advocacy, ensuring that choral music is understood to be an artform that is critical to the health of our communities— and one that requires continued support and attention to thrive.

Together, we can ensure that choral music remains a vital force in society—building understanding, fostering empathy, and celebrating our shared humanity through song.

Christopher Eanes President & CEO, Chorus America

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NEWS, EVENTS, & ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Premieres

The Young People’s Chorus of New York City premiered a new arrangement of “Song of Light” by GRAMMY®nominated artist Chandrika Tandon at its annual winter concert.

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The Washington Chorus presented the 15th anniversary of its annual “A Candlelight Christmas” concert, which included the world premiere of Ellen Gilson Voth’s “Peace, My Soul.”

Seattle Pro Musica gave the world premiere of “Up/Rising Into” by Mari Valverde on March 8–9 in Seattle. The work, set to a poem by Amir Rabiyah, is a powerful celebration of

trans identity and is “dedicated to transgender and non-binary youth everywhere.” On March 17, the ensemble premiered “The World is Charged” by director Karen P. Thomas. Scored for chorus and solo cello, this setting of the Gerard Manley Hopkins poem featured Seattle Symphony cellist Nathan Chan.

Cantori New York, with artistic director Mark Shapiro, opened its 40th season with the world premiere performance of DEAR MOUNTAINS, a cantata co-composed by Karen Ouzounian and Lembit Beecher, at the Church of the Holy Apostles in November.

Navigating Policy Changes: New Chorus America Resources

Recent

executive orders affecting federal arts funding in the U.S. have created new challenges for cultural organizations working to cultivate inclusive communities, engage audiences, and fulfill their artistic missions.

To better support the choral community as we navigate this uncertainty, Chorus America has:

• Hired government affairs specialist Amy Fitterer to help navigate policy changes

• Published weekly member updates with comprehensive government affairs information

• Presented a March webinar on Presidential Actions and the Choral Field

• Published a Navigating Government Policy Changes resource page that will continue to be updated

As Chorus America’s president and CEO Christopher Eanes wrote in a letter to the Chorus America community, “Our mission, vision, and guiding principles remain unchanged. We fundamentally believe that

singing together builds bridges of understanding and creates spaces where all voices can be heard […] While we navigate these current challenges, Chorus America remains committed to supporting our members’ ability to create and perform, sharing the range and depth of their humanity.”

Access our resources page at chorusamerica.org/navigating-policy-changes.

DC Women Conductors and Advocates

This fall, choral conductor Erin Freeman brought together a group of Washington DC’s most inspiring women conductors and advocates for a meet and greet and photo shoot. The resulting images capture a snapshot of their influence.

Pictured (L–R) are: Thea Kano (Artistic Director, Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington DC); Victoria Gau (Artistic Director, Capital City Symphony; Artistic Director, Cantate Chamber Singers and Concert Choir); Michele Fowlin (Artistic Director, Children of the Gospel Choir); Gretchen Kuhrmann (Artistic Director, Choralis); Bonnie Alger (Officer in Charge, The U.S. Army Chorus); Ingrid Lestrud (Artistic Director, Arlington Chorale); Catherine Dehoney (former President and CEO, Chorus America); Anna Binneweg (Artistic Director, Washington Metropolitan

Philharmonic); Neeta Helms (President and Founder, Classical Movements); Heather Adelsberger (Director of Music Ministries, Grace Episcopal Church; Artistic Director, The Georgetown Chorale; Music Director, The Georgetown Chamber Orchestra); Erin Freeman (Artistic Director, The City Choir of Washington; Artistic Director, Wintergreen Music; Director, Saint Louis Symphony Chorus; Principal Conductor, Richmond Ballet); Marie Bucoy-Calavan (Artistic Director, Choral Arts Society); Naima Burrs (Director of Orchestral Activities, Virginia State University; Youth Concert Conductor, National Philharmonic); Kathryn Harsha (Artistic Director, Alexandria Choral Society; Artistic Director, Pro Coro Alexandria; Interim Artistic Director of Programming, Encore Creativity); Margaret Clark (Artistic Director, Children’s Chorus of Washington)

YOUTH CHORUS PERFORMS AT SUPER BOWL FOR 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF “LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING”

At this year’s Super Bowl, 125 young singers from the Greater New Orleans High School Chorale Collective took the field alongside GRAMMY® award winning artist, Ledisi, to perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Under the direction of Jeffery Redding, a Chorus America member and choral leader, the youth choir delivered a beautiful rendition of the song, celebrating its 125th anniversary. The chorus was able to be part of a long tradition of choral singers performing this song, which is often referred to as the “Black National Anthem.” The lyrics to “Lift Every Voice and Sing” were written originally by James Weldon Johnson as a poem. The music was composed by his brother, John Rosamond Johnson. Once the song was completed, it was performed for the first time by a chorus of 500 children at a segregated school in Florida.

CHORAL CANADA WELCOMES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Instrumentalists included Ouzounian (cello), Ara Dinkjian (oud), and Philip Mayer (percussion). The libretto, co-devised by Ouzounian and Beecher, draws on archival and family documents and recordings to address the Armenian genocide and diaspora.

MasterVoices performed the New York premiere of Blind Injustice, an American opera with music by Scott Davenport Richards and libretto by David Cote, at Jazz at Lincoln Center at the Rose Theater in February.

During its regional tour, The National Lutheran Choir premiered a three-movement work, titled Three Songs of Healing, by Hans Bridger Heruth and with text by Brian

Newhouse. This work encourages listeners to contemplate the parts of themselves that are in need of healing.

Harmonium Choral Society opened its season in December with “Snow Angel,” a program featuring the East Coast premiere of Joseph Gregorio’s “Unbound Angels.” The composer was in attendance for the performance.

The Princeton Singers performed the world premiere of “Late Love” by its artistic director, Steven Sametz, at its Valentine’s Day concert.

“Vista Point” by Jennifer Lucy Cook will have its world premiere in May. This piece was commissioned specifically for the Phoenix Chorale and will be performed at its u

Choral

Canada’s Board of Directors welcomed Steven Bélanger as its new executive director, starting full time on June 2, 2025! With over 25 years of experience in Canada’s choral community as both an administrator and performer, Bélanger brings deep connections and a passionate advocacy for group singing. Most recently executive director of the Vancouver Chamber Choir, he has led their first artistic leadership transition, expanded education and engagement programs, and strengthened their financial sustainability.

AMERICAN VOICES concert led by artistic director Christopher Gabbitas.

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem had a premier performance of “Songs for the People,” a composition by Emmy Awardwinning composer Jasmine Arielle Barnes.

The Deer Creek Chorale presented “To The Hands,” which featured the premiere of a newly commissioned work, “Hands,” by award-winning composer Z. Randall Stroope. n

Shelter Me: A Choral Oratorio Giving Voice to the Unhoused

Shelter Me, a semi-staged choral oratorio about the journey of a young man navigating homelessness, is inspired by the lives of members of the Dallas Street Choir, a chorus that provides a musical outlet for those experiencing homelessness in the Dallas area. This story is brought to life with nearly 300 performers, including the Dallas Street Choir, Credo, The UT Dallas Choirs, professional soloists, and an 18-piece orchestra.

Shelter Me was composed by Jacob Ryan Smith, a New York City-based artist known for his work in musical theater, ballet, film, and pop music. The production is led by conductor and producer Dr. Jonathan Palant, founder of the Dallas Street Choir and Credo.

Awards

Morna Edmundson (pictured), former Chorus America board member, received the Order of Canada during her illustrious final year as Elektra’s artistic director. She was recognized by the Advisory Council as “an inspiring mentor whose innovative programming, commissioning, and community engagement have contributed a lasting legacy for the choral community.”

The Cecilia Chorus of New York and music director Mark Shapiro were each

IN MEMORIAM: MARSHALL A. RUTTER

Marshall A. Rutter, a champion of professional choral singing and contemporary choral music, passed away peacefully at his home on December 4, 2024, at 93 years old. His passing was announced by the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Rutter was one of the founders of the Master Chorale and served continuously on its board for six decades.

As a past board member and board chair of Chorus America, Rutter’s strong leadership guided the organization through a period of critical growth. He served on the Chorus America board from 1987 to 1996 and chaired the board from 1993 to 1995, steering the organization as it expanded to serve a broader representation of the choral community. Together with his wife, Terry Knowles, Rutter remained a powerful advocate for and supporter of Chorus America. In 2017, he was named a Chorus America Director Laureate in recognition of his immense contributions.

Rutter also received Chorus America’s Michael Korn Founders Award for the Development of the Professional Choral Art in 2001, honoring the national and international impact of his commitment to professional choral music. Thanks in great part to his leadership, the Los Angeles Master Chorale became one of the world’s preeminent professional choirs. Rutter commissioned many

Marshall A. Rutter was named a Chorus America Director Laureate in 2017 for his service to the organization. Chorus America’s first Director Laureate, Alice Parker, presented him with the honorary title.

important contemporary choral works, including Morten Lauridsen’s  O Magnum Mysterium in honor of Knowles.

“Chorus America owes so much to Marshall’s leadership,” said Chorus America president and CEO Christopher Eanes. “Any period of organizational growth comes with challenges, and we are grateful for his skill in navigating those challenges and moving our organization forward. Our entire field continues to benefit from his love for choral music and the beautiful repertoire he helped bring to life.”

awarded the 2024 National Medal of Fine Arts from the Motif Foundation, described by the organization as the “world’s highest honor for child advocacy.” The chorus’s educational engagement program has given thousands of young New Yorkers and social services clients the opportunity to experience great classical music live at Carnegie Hall, often for the first time.

Revolución diamantina, Gabriela Ortiz’s first full album of orchestral works, received three GRAMMY® wins, including “Best Orchestral Performance,” “Best Contemporary Classical Composition,” and “Best Classical Compendium.” The recording was directed by Gustavo Dudamel and the album featured three works. The titular piece, “Revolución diamantina,” features the Los Angeles Master Chorale n

Releases

The Washington Chorus released a limited edition vinyl of its Christmas with The Washington Chorus recording. This vinyl was released in celebration of the recording’s 15th anniversary.

A recording of Ukranian War Requiem by Benedict Sheehan was released in February. The recording was directed by Michael Zaugg and performed by Axios Men’s Ensemble and the tenors and basses of Pro Coro Canada.

Roberta Mantell (pen name for Chorus America member Roberta Hershenson) has released her debut novel, Angels’ Blood: Murder in the Chorus, a murder mystery published by Indies United Publishing House.

The Jerusalem Youth Chorus released a new music video “A Mashup of Possibilities” which blends “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana with “Livchor Nachon” and “La Moustahila.” These three songs were chosen because u

they share messages about seizing agency and making choices.

Everyone, Everywhere: A Human Rights Cantata by Daron Hagen was commissioned by The Cecilia Chorus of New York in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The recording was released in February.

Phoenix Chorale released a new album, Sun Moon Stars Rain, in February. This

album explores ideas relating to the celestial and natural worlds. The album includes the premiere of “Little You, Looking Up” by composer Dale Trumbore

Harmonium Choral Society has released its first CD sampler of performances, Harmonium Choral Society Sampler. The CD includes 18 choral recordings. n

Appointments and Retirements

Seraphic Fire named Daniel M. Yanez (pictured) as its next executive director. He brings with him extensive fundraising experience as well as knowledge of the south Florida community.

Donald Nally (pictured) has been named director of choral studies for Westminster Choir College of Rider University Nally will work with undergraduate and graduate students in this position.

The Crossing, a professional chamber chorus based in Philadelphia and led by conductor Donald Nally, has won the GRAMMY® Award for “Best Choral Performance.” Its album OCHRE, which was released on Navona Records in July 2024, brings to life the incredible works of composers Ayanna Woods, Caroline Shaw, and George Lewis. OCHRE is The Crossing’s fourth GRAMMY® win and tenth nomination.

The Crossing is committed to only singing new music in an effort to expand the way choral music is composed, performed, and listened to.

Jason Zahorchak (pictured) has been appointed chief operating officer (COO) of The Young People’s Chorus of New York City. He has over 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership.

The Susquehanna Chorale has chosen Michael McCarthy (pictured) as its first executive director. He will be responsible for all non-artistic aspects of the organization. He brings with him experience as a singer, conductor, and arts administrator.

Harmonium Choral Society announced its new emerging composer-in-residence, Laurel Luke Christensen (pictured), in January. She draws on her experience as a choral singer, conductor, and teacher when composing choral music.

Karen Commons (pictured) has been named managing director of staff for the Chicago Master Singers. She will be responsible for the operational, financial, development, and administrative work of the chorus.

Joyce Garrett Releases New Book, Excellence Without Excuses

Renowned

choral director and former Chorus America board member Joyce Garrett has added to her already distinguished career with the release of her new book, Excellence Without Excuses. A leader in the choral field, Garrett has always been dedicated to shaping young artists, advocating for the power of music, and teaching her

students that excellence can be achieved despite disadvantages.

In her book, Garrett talks about Excellence Without Excuses, an after-school program she founded where she used choral music to connect with students and change their perspectives on what was possible. This memoir offers valuable lessons for educators, conductors, and anyone passionate about the power of singing.

After 57 seasons, New Amsterdam Singers founder and music director, Clara Longstreth (pictured), is retiring. Ben Arendsen (pictured) will succeed her with the 2025–26 season.

Eli Campbell (pictured) has been appointed as the new executive director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus. Eli is also a singing member of the chorus and served on the board of directors from 2023–24.

The Madrigal Choir of Binghamton has chosen John M. Vaida (pictured) as its new artistic director. He officially began his tenure in January.

Loki Karuna (pictured) has been appointed to the position of executive director at American Composers Forum, where he will lead ACF’s anti-racism strategy and oversee its media content strategy and production beginning in June 2025. Vanessa Rose, who has led the organization since 2019, will assume the chief executive officer (CEO) role. n

BY JACOB RYAN SMITH

Follow the poignant journey of a young man suddenly finding himself without shelter and navigating the unforgiving streets. His steadfast companion is an older man wellversed in the trials of homelessness, having weathered its challenges for a significant portion of his life. #HomelessNotVoiceless

LEARN MORE!

at halleonard.com/choral

CREATING INCLUSIVE SPACES

The Future of ADEI

The landscape for choral and arts organizations committed to access, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) is evolving rapidly, and—at times— unpredictably. Recent policy shifts, legal decisions, and corporate rollbacks of ADEI commitments have created uncertainty about the future of this work. What strategies will allow choruses to continue fostering inclusive, equitable communities while adapting to new realities?

BY KAELI TODD

Across industries, organizations that once prioritized ADEI are now facing increased scrutiny and, in some cases, outright rollbacks of their initiatives. High-profile corporations have scaled back in response to shifting public sentiment, legal pressures, and political opposition. Meanwhile, statelevel legislation restricting how institutions address diversity and inclusion has resulted in an uneven and sometimes precarious environment for arts organizations striving to uphold these values.

For choral organizations, this shift raises critical questions: How do ensembles sustain their commitment to ADEI? What strategies allow organizations to foster inclusive artistic spaces while navigating changing policies and funding sources?

While challenges exist, one thing remains unchanged: the power of choral music to bring people together. Through intentional, mission-driven choices, choruses can not only protect their ADEI work but also refine and strengthen it for the future.

The Current Landscape: How Choral and ADEI Leaders Are Responding

Recent executive orders affecting federal arts funding have created new challenges for cultural organizations seeking to foster inclusion, connect with audiences, and stay true to their artistic vision. While many organizations may be feeling fear and

A performance from Border CrosSing’s Puentes series. Puentes offers audiences the opportunity to connect to Latin American history, culture, and repertoire that is rarely or never performed in the United States.

uncertainty around these shifts, the core principles of ADEI have always been lawful and ethical. “People should not be scared,” says Arreon A. Harley-Emerson, president & CEO of Equity Sings. “I see undue panic about ‘unlawful ADEI’ or ‘discriminatory ADEI.’” But his response is simple: “Don’t discriminate. You shouldn’t have been discriminating in the first place. That’s never been part of ADEI principles.”

One of the common myths about ADEI work is that it inherently excludes certain groups, according to author, professor, and diversity consultant antonio c. cuyler. But he pushes back against this idea: “If you’re practicing it correctly, no one should feel excluded. No one should feel discriminated against.”

Many choral leaders are moving forward under this understanding, stressing that ADEI is not a separate initiative, but rather part of their organizations’ core identities. “One of the things that’s really hard right now is that things are changing so rapidly,” says Amy Jaine Wielunski, executive director of Minneapolis-based choral organization

VocalEssence. “What we can truly and deeply say is that our values are not changing. […] The work that we do is important to our communities and to our singers and to our audiences.”

While ADEI experts agree that organizations should keep moving forward, choruses must remain proactive in protecting their work. “Any program you have, you should be able to say […] ‘Here’s the business case for it, and here’s why it’s lawful,’” HarleyEmerson explains. “You should develop a plan or specific steps to ensure anything new you’re doing, you’re building around what regulations exist.”

He advises that embedding ADEI in an organization’s core also means aligning it with business metrics to ensure long-term sustainability: “Tying it to business metrics is one of the most important things that you can do to continue to protect those initiatives that you have.”

So, what programs and initiatives are the most at risk from a legal perspective? Dorothy Deng, partner at Whiteford,

Taylor & Preston and co-chair of the Associations, Nonprofits and Political Organizations Section shared a “red light, green light” risk analysis for choruses at a Chorus America webinar in March.

Red Light (programs, initiatives, and behaviors that are at highest risk of being viewed as discriminatory under the executive orders):

• Programs with eligibility requirements that exclude participation based on race

• Targets and goals to achieve diversity based on race

• Reserved seats, vacancies, or awards based on race

• Preferred treatment of candidates based on race

• Use of race as metrics to evaluate performance

Green Light (not at risk of being viewed as discriminatory):

• Collection of demographic data (provided there is no discrimination)

• Non-restricted Employee Resource Groups u

Members of the VocalEssence Chorus, Singers Of This Age, and Vintage Voices perform at Northrop in Minneapolis.

• Educational, cultural, and historical observances (e.g., Black History Month)

• Educational programs in particular cultures, heritages, and areas of the world

• Accessibility and disability-related accommodations

Ultimately, while external pressures challenge the legitimacy of ADEI work, they also reinforce the importance of staying rooted in core values—especially when funding priorities shift.

Navigating Shifts in Funding

At the time of this article’s publication, the National Endowment for the Arts has removed the requirement that grantees certify they are in compliance with the DEI and gender ideology executive orders, but restrictions barring awarding funds for any project that appears to promote “gender ideology” remain in place. With these and other updated guidelines from the NEA evolving quickly, choruses that rely on federal funding must take a hard look at their revenue streams to determine their exposure to policy-driven funding shifts. “If you have not taken a look at your revenue and identified what is coming through some sort of federal source, I would strongly recommend doing that because you should not be making a decision without that information,” advises Harley-Emerson.

“Through our programming in and of itself, we can communicate to people that we are a safe place.”

–Arreon A. Harley-Emerson

Organizations must now carefully evaluate their funding sources and determine how best to sustain their work without compromising their values. Many choral leaders caution against adjusting their mission simply to align with changing funding criteria.

Ahmed Anzaldúa, artistic director for choral music nonprofit Border CrosSing, warns against reactionary shifts: “The wrong approach right now would be to bend as

much as possible to make your organization fit whatever guidelines are coming.” Instead, organizations must stay rooted in their core values and seek sustainable, mission-aligned strategies to support their work.

VocalEssence’s WITNESS program focuses on the contributions of the Black community to the fine arts and to choral music, and the organization is planning to pivot to different funding sources if the program loses federal funding. “It would be disappointing, but we would turn to our community and say, ‘We lost this funding from the NEA and here’s what we need to do to make it happen,’” says Wielunski.

Some organizations are finding that their communities respond positively when they double down on their commitment to ADEI, even in the face of funding threats. Michael Sattler, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Arts Association (the umbrella nonprofit of the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus [DGMC] and the Denver Women’s Chorus [DWC]), shares an example of an ask made at a recent concert: “We leaned heavily into this [message that] ‘ADEI is being scaled back. You need to step up and help us continue our work in this area,’ and we raised a concert high of $7,500.”

Audience support was overwhelming, with post-concert surveys showing unanimous appreciation: 100 percent of audience members either agreed or strongly agreed

that the concert was a wonderful experience, and there were no comments about the ask.

While the financial impact of these policy shifts is significant, Anzaldúa believes the greater challenge lies in the cultural narrative surrounding ADEI: “Yes, organizations will feel the funding problem, but where I’m seeing the impact is in the individual stories,” he says. “This focus on branding diversity, equity and inclusion as something that is wrong, that is undesirable, is making people afraid and is making the work itself harder to do.”

It’s not just about budgets or policies; it’s about the people who rely on these spaces for connection, expression, and support.

Turning Inward: How to Support Singers and Staff at the Individual Level

While organizations grapple with funding concerns, the deeper and more immediate effects of these challenges are being felt by individuals: singers, students, and community members who now feel uncertain, fearful, or even unable to participate fully in the choral spaces that once offered them belonging.

Anzaldúa emphasizes that, at its core, this work is about human relationships. “Working in a way that’s equitable, inclusive, respectful

Singers from the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus perform during Neon Lights, a concert event at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in March 2024.

of people’s diversity is just […] part of the mutual agreement that we have as people in

–Nicholas Sienkiewicz

remarkable,” says Wielunski. “You could feel the extent to which folks needed that

New Book Release

Creating Inclusive Spaces

Several interviewees emphasized that choral singing embodies the value of interconnectedness—not only through the act of singing in harmony but in the way it mirrors a diverse and inclusive society.

“We don’t all sing soprano, we don’t all sing alto,” says cuyler. “We’re not all Black, we’re not all White, we’re not all women, we’re not all LGBTQ+. […] You need all parts for the chorus to make this beautiful sound that can be so compelling and so inspiring for so many people.”

The Core of ADEI Work: Belonging and Inclusion

When experiencing times of uncertainty, ADEI experts and choral leaders agree: The fundamentals of solid ADEI work have not changed. True equity and inclusion in choral music require an intersectional approach— one that acknowledges the diverse identities and experiences of singers, audiences, and communities.

“Through our programming in and of itself, we can communicate to people that we are a safe place,” says Harley-Emerson. “The cultural holidays, traditions, observance

months we decide to observe? Those are ways in which we can communicate what our values are as an organization.”

Representation in choral music extends beyond who is on stage to the stories being told. “What story is this program telling?” asks Anzaldúa. “Are these people being portrayed in a way that is accurate and respectful? Is that story being told by the right people to tell that story?” These questions influence repertoire selection, guest artists, and collaborations.

Sattler points to innovative programming that illuminates hidden histories: “The Denver Gay Men’s Chorus’s next concert is Crazy for You, which explores the intersection of the 1930s jazz community with Gershwin and Irving Berlin,” he says. “It’s a very unknown point in history that we’re highlighting and […] bringing into the forefront for our audience members.”

“Make sure that folks are okay. That’s how you strengthen your organization by just caring for each other.”

–Ahmed Anzaldúa

For Wielunski, fostering inclusion means acknowledging limitations while striving for improvement. “I think one of the things that’s at the heart of everything we’re doing is that we know we’re not going to get it right every time. But we are gonna keep learning and we are gonna keep growing and we’re gonna keep trying. So we won’t be perfect, but we’re human.”

This includes reconsidering rehearsal and performance spaces—many of which are religious venues that may not be welcoming to all. Wielunski emphasizes transparency, both with singers and audiences, to address organizational decisionmaking in this area. “We want to help [stakeholders] understand why we made this decision. It is an explanation and not an excuse, and we will continue to try to do better.”

This commitment to keep learning and growing has extended into the language that VocalEssence uses in the rehearsal space. “We have to be intentional about the language that we choose to use so that we’re not reinforcing gender bias in any way, shape, or form,” says Wielunski. “We really started to identify the sections by their voice part as opposed to their gender, and even that seemingly simple thing allows someone to show up more often.”

For trans singers, this inclusion is about more than just acceptance—it’s about active support, especially when their voices may be changing due to medication. “Artistic directors, at least ours, are very mindful of that and are very aware of helping a trans singer fit into the overall sound of the chorus,” says Sattler.

That validation has become critically important over the past few months, especially for singers who are experiencing prejudice. “I’m having a lot of conversations with young people about what it means to be their full selves in front of folks, because they have witnessed an uptick in the amount of discrimination that has come towards them,” says Sienkiewicz. “I reaffirm it to them every single rehearsal: This is not just a space in which you can express your authentic self, but this is a space where we will advocate for and protect you.”

The heart of ADEI work lies in building truly inclusive communities. When singers from all backgrounds feel welcomed and supported, the result is a richer, more dynamic choral experience—one that resonates deeply with performers and audiences alike.

The Youth Pride Chorus celebrates its 20th year with an Anniversary concert featuring YPC members from the last 20 years.

Putting It Into Practice: Sustaining ADEI Work

Choral organizations committed to ADEI can take proactive steps to ensure this work remains central to their mission. The key is to be strategic, adaptable, and intentional.

• Build coalitions with other choruses, arts organizations, and advocacy groups to amplify impact.

• Develop resources such as toolkits, mentorship programs, and networking opportunities to sustain efforts.

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Reaffirming ADEI as a Core Value

• Embed ADEI in mission statements and strategic plans to ensure it remains a priority, even amid political or funding challenges. If your organization’s mission already includes access, diversity, equity, and inclusion, ground your work and messaging on this foundation.

• Regularly assess progress through surveys, listening sessions, and feedback loops.

• Train leadership and singers in inclusive practices to maintain alignment across all levels of the organization.

• Emphasize the benefits of ADEI work, both internally and externally: Being more welcoming and inclusive improves the choral experience and advances the mission for everyone.

Adapting to Legal and Policy Changes

• Consult legal and ADEI experts to navigate policy shifts.

• Stay updated through nonprofit councils tracking these developments.

• Frame ADEI through artistic excellence—positioning equity as integral to high-quality performances rather than a separate initiative.

• Use partnerships strategically to sustain ADEI initiatives, even in restrictive environments.

Expanding Inclusive Programming

• Diversify repertoire intentionally by including composers and works that reflect the communities you serve.

• Provide thoughtful context for programming to deepen understanding among singers and audiences.

1 2 3 4

• Collaborate with historically underrepresented communities to foster meaningful, inclusive artistic experiences. Leveraging Community & Advocacy

• Engage board members and stakeholders in ADEI discussions to ensure organizational buy-in.

The most effective ADEI strategies are those that evolve over time. Inclusion is not a checklist—it’s a commitment to continuous learning and adaptation. By fostering a culture of belonging and artistic innovation, choruses can ensure ADEI remains not just a priority, but a driving force in shaping the future of choral music.

The Enduring Commitment to Equity

in Choral Music

Choral music has always reflected the people who sing it, the stories they tell, and the audiences they reach. At its best, it is a unifying force that breaks down barriers and creates spaces where all voices are valued. This moment presents an opportunity not just to sustain ADEI efforts but to refine and strengthen them for the future.

“ADEI work is human work,” says Sienkiewicz. “All we are doing is trying to make communities of connected people and make sure everyone has a seat at the table.”

The work of advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging is never finished— it must evolve alongside our communities and the world around us. By reaffirming their commitment, adapting to challenges, and embedding ADEI into their artistic and organizational DNA, choruses can continue to shape an arts sector that is more inclusive, vibrant, and connected than ever before. n

Kaeli Todd is a freelance writer and editor based in Tacoma, Washington. After singing in choruses throughout high school and undergrad and a career in nonprofit fundraising, she found her way back to the choral field as the managing editor for The Voice. Contact Kaeli at kaeli@chorusamerica.org.

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Whatever role your chorus plays, there is a part for you in this narrative. Amidst all of the change, there exists much upon which we can build a strong fundraising program.

Recommitting to Growing Contributed Dollars

By focusing on donor relationships, embracing a culture of philanthropy, and sharpening fundraising strategies, choruses of all sizes can build sustainable support. Here’s how your organization can adapt and thrive in the face of change.

BY MICHAEL PETTRY

Shifting funding priorities. Evolving ticket-buying habits. Changing leadership. Changing donors.

The list of how our choral landscape changes on a frequent basis seems to grow at an increasingly breakneck pace. This can feel daunting, but here’s how your chorus can keep up with the ever-evolving world of fundraising!

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus shared the phrase, “Change is the only constant in life.”

Change provides tremendous opportunity. It provides a chance to re-think how things may have been done in the past and to welcome new people and voices to the table. Change provides us with an external and motivating factor to pick up the pace and get going.

Let’s face it, many of us are watching funding shifts for nonprofits and perhaps preparing for even larger ones to come. These events feel new, and in many ways they are. But funding priorities and strategies shift all the time in one way or another, and we should keep in mind there are certain aspects of fundraising that will never change.

People will always value relationships. They will always seek out places where they have built trust. And beyond that, people want to be a part of something. They want to make a difference. They want to encounter something surprising, inspiring, meaningful, or simply seek to take a break from their quotidian slog into the beauty of choral music.

Funding priorities and strategies shift all the time in one way or another, and we should keep in mind there are certain aspects of fundraising that will never change.

Maybe your chorus is one of the largest in the field boasting a robust staff, developed board, and established practices. Or maybe your institution looks more like the vast majority of choruses in the U.S. or Canada, with volunteer leadership, a talented corps of singers, and committed advocates who make things happen on a shoestring budget. Perhaps it feels like your ensemble is somewhere in the middle, with aspirations to grow into that next iteration.

No matter how your chorus sees itself today, there are certain philanthropic truths that apply across the board.

The Backbone of Philanthropy: Individual Giving

Believe it or not, two-thirds of all charitable giving in the U.S. comes from individual donors. Further, the most recent Chorus Operations Survey Report found that the most significant sources of funding for choruses are individual support (36%), followed by foundation contributions (16%). So, be sure you’re laser-focused on developing your organization’s individual giving program.

But what does this laser focus look like exactly? What concrete strategies can you, your team, board, or development committee use to cultivate relationships with individual donors?

Giving isn’t merely a financial transaction. Building meaningful relationships is at the heart of an organization’s philanthropy practices. Research indicates donors want to feel the mission of an organization before giving. Is your chorus providing real-life, experiential moments for your prospects to encounter your work? How does it feel to sit in on a rehearsal, mingled amidst the tenors, and experience what it means to bring this music to life? Or, has your conductor or section leaders provided a talk-back session lately regarding repertoire they will be performing soon?

Next, make giving easy. People need to be able to give to your organization through their phone just as easily as through their laptop. Be sure your website interfaces with things like Apple Pay and PayPal. And then ask 8–10 of your board members or closest donors to be test shoppers, making donations online with you right next to them using their device. This functions as something of a test during which you can see how easily your donors interact with your technology and giving platform.

Was it as smooth and seamless as you’d like it to be? If not, fix that.

Once your initial donation process is streamlined, consider providing existing donors with the chance to elevate their giving to a higher tier each time you solicit them. This may look like increasing their annual fund gift from $250 to $500. We find that offering a monthly payment option via automatic credit card or ACH transactions can be particularly effective. This approach has the added benefit of lining up another conversation a year from now to revisit giving options. u

Now, what about all of those existing donors on your donor list? After we’ve invited donors in the front door of our house, we want to make sure they’re sticking around for the party and not slipping out the back door. This is called donor retention.

Giving isn’t merely a financial transaction. Building meaningful relationships is at the heart of an organization’s philanthropy practices.

Based on research from The Fundraising Effectiveness Project, donor retention amongst nonprofits continues to decline, particularly at lower giving tiers. So how can your team prevent that decline happening at your organization? Stewardship. That’s the official term, as you’re stewarding the gift. You may find it more powerful to think of it

as “impact reporting,” or sharing with donors real-life examples of what their support has made possible. But what does this look like on a practical level?

In the digital age, think about having someone from your team pick up the phone and call a donor a few days after their gift to say thank you, and then make another call to them two or three months later to provide a specific update on what their gift has brought to life. Better yet, record a short video showing their support in action, adding a word of gratitude for their support.

It’s important to remember that it takes a village—donor retention can’t fall entirely on any one person. Instead, members of the board, development committee, and even the chorus membership can join in showing gratitude. In addition to weekly gift acknowledgement letters, we encourage you to send handwritten notes to all donors twice a year. Hint: For your highest-tier donors, handwritten notes from your board of directors are an excellent idea.

“The impact of receiving a handwritten thank you letter from a member of the nonprofit’s board illustrates a special gesture of

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Other Individual Giving Tips

• Make sure your website’s giving page provides the donor with a check box to cover their credit card processing fee. For one organization I’m familiar with, more than 95% of their donors elected to cover the fee.

• Direct mail, digital, and email solicitations can be personalized to not only include the donor’s name and address, but also a suggested giving level. In most cases, the giving level should reflect an increase from the donor’s giving level for the most recent year of support.

• With donor acquisition (i.e., securing a first-time gift), let the donor know what the dollar amount is of the average first-time gift and then suggest specific dollar amounts at which they can give. The Journal of Consumer Research indicates that people tend to look to others to decide how they should act, and what a “norm” might be.

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A UKRAINIAN WEDDING Ukrainian

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appreciation for many donors,” states Nora Hiatt, an experienced board member and civic-minded volunteer. “It’s also a meaningful and tangible way for board members to involve themselves in philanthropy, especially those who may have less experience in fundraising.”

For many choruses, it is both contributed revenue (donations, sponsorships, etc.) and earned revenue (ticket sales, etc.) that create a more robust and stable stream of income. While you’re focusing on growing your development program, this increased donor engagement also positively affects ticket sales activity. In the performing arts sector, growth of those two areas tends to go hand-in-hand; the growth of one, in many cases, correlates to the parallel (or soon-to-follow) growth of the other.

Shifting Toward a Culture of Philanthropy

Simply identifying strategies to grow your foundation support, corporate partnerships, or individual giving program won’t get you anywhere on its own. Instead, it will require a committed culture shift and a focus on overall growth of your culture of philanthropy.

The majority of nonprofits don’t dedicate as much time and overall resources toward development as they ought to, and donations, unfortunately, do not grow on trees. If you want to substantially grow your long-term sustainability, an organization-wide pivot toward a culture of philanthropy is in order.

“Oh, I was going to do that, but this programming item needed my attention instead.”

“I just wish I had more time to dedicate toward major gift work.”

“I’ll get to that next week when things aren’t so wild.”

Do these sound familiar? Have you ever said something like this yourself?

People want to be a part of something. They want to make a difference.

It’s impossible to magically create more time in the work week. But it is possible to move development further up your priority list. If you’re investing three hours each week toward development, can you increase that to five hours each week for the next 12 months? If so, it will pay dividends (literally).

Once you carve out those extra development hours, you have to protect them—no ifs, ands, or buts about it. In the moment, such a u

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drastic reallocation of time will feel onerous, but this type of shift can (and very likely will) produce transformative new philanthropic activity. Can you imagine how good it will feel to build financial reserves or dedicate additional resources to community engagement using funds that you’ve created via this type of reprioritizing?

Change is hard, and we’re throwing a lot at you here. In order for all of these changes to stick, it’s crucial that you build accountability into your process. A quick snapshot of your fundraising vitals can help you track progress toward various goals. That’s where your development dashboard comes in (see sidebar below) It provides your board and development team with a suite of tools to keep your priorities in focus and your vision unified.

Another aspect of shifting to a culture of philanthropy is being prepared to adapt. In the face of all the change nonprofits are facing, a few recent trends you should be aware of include:

• Dollars Up, Donors Down: As has been the case for a number of years, the number of donors giving charitably is declining while the amount of dollars being given is increasing.

• Donor Advised Funds: Are you speaking with donors about giving to your organization through their DAF? Because you should be! DAFs are charitable giving vehicles that have nearly doubled in popularity since 2018, which means nonprofits should add discussion of this funding source to their fundraising conversations.

What’s in a Development Dashboard?

• Dollars secured year-to-date compared to fiscal year goal

• Dollars secured year-to-date compared to year-to-date actuals from one year prior

• Number of donors year-to-date compared to year-to-date one year prior

• Number of donors scheduled to lapse in the next 60 days

• Dollar amount of prior gifts scheduled to lapse in the next 60 days

• Donor retention rate (the percentage of donors who gave in the prior fiscal year and have renewed in the new fiscal year)

When stewarding gifts, don’t get too wordy! Be sure to incorporate images, employ infographics, and include pull quotes and anecdotes. Put a real face to the story being told.

• Planned Giving: Charitable giving through bequests represents 8 to 10 percent of total giving over the last four decades. Be sure your donors are aware of how they can include your organization in their estate plans, and pay special attention to this opportunity for your singers, current and former board members, and your dedicated individual donors.

The #1 Reason Someone Gives

The number one reason someone makes a donation is because they were asked. Your website could be the sleekest thing on the internet. You could have the biggest and most trusted names on your board of directors. Your brand could be the most

pristine, the most compelling. But the number one reason people make a donation? Because they were asked.

A trusted mentor helped transform our view on gift solicitation: Instead of a mere ask, it’s giving the person the opportunity to support the mission. But what makes for a great solicitation? What must be included in giving a prospective donor the opportunity to support?

A solicitation should:

• Include a specific dollar amount

• Address a specific need facing the organization

• Denote a specific time frame or window for the gift

For example: “Juan, would you support the chorus with a gift of $1,000 to be given by Memorial Day in support of our new music fund?”

It’s vital that your organization has a fundraising strategy, a robust prospect list, a compelling case for support, and all the rest. But without a commitment to solicit, solicit, solicit gifts—and to do so thoughtfully and with personalized attention—all of those other tools and resources will be useless. Lean in to making time to solicit

gifts, and provide your prospective donors with the opportunity to join you in bringing beautiful music to life today and into the future. n

Michael Pettry is Principal with fundraising consultancy Cape Fletcher Associates. He began his career in choral music and quickly tasted the excitement that comes from work in philanthropy. He may be contacted at Michael@CapeFletcher.com

Does your organization also receive funding via foundation and corporate support?

Scan the QR code to read the accompanying article on how to approach and make the most of institutional giving!

Beyond the Background: THE VITAL ROLE OF SYMPHONIC CHORUSES

Symphonic choruses are essential partners in orchestral music, yet their contributions are often overlooked. Whether independent or institutionally affiliated, these ensembles face unique challenges in balancing collaboration, financial sustainability, and artistic identity. Choral leaders from a variety of organizational models share their strategies for strengthening chorus-orchestra partnerships.

BY THOMAS MAY

Concerts marking a special occasion—the opening or closing of a season, the inauguration of a venue—often carry an extra layer of anticipation when rows of choristers fill the risers behind the orchestra. The show cannot go on without the countless unseen hours of preparation and commitment from the singers leading up to the live performance.

Yet the indispensable role the chorus plays is too often taken for granted—unless the show actually does not go on. In September 2024, for example, the San Francisco Symphony’s season-opening performances of Verdi’s Requiem had to be abruptly canceled when the chorus’s professional members voted to go on a widely publicized strike that was eventually resolved by the intervention of an anonymous donor.

“Every time the chorus came back onstage for its next performances in the Fauré Requiem, the audience got up and cheered,” says Jenny Wong, director of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus since 2023. She believes symphonic choruses in general have a special resonance with audiences because “many of them have had some experience singing, whether in a school or collegiate choir, in church or temple. So, when they hear symphonic choruses with an orchestra, they’re able to hear themselves in it as well. We are an extension of what the orchestra can do. When we tell stories through specific texts, it adds meaning and layer to the artistic product.”

Strengthening the Chorus-Orchestra Relationship

Many notable orchestras evolved from the robust choral societies that defined cultural and civic life in the late-19th-century United States

Jenny Wong conducts a performance of Carmina Burana with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus and the San Francisco Boys Chorus alongside the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.

and Canada. The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO), for example, was initially established as the St. Louis Choral Society in 1880, while the St. Louis Symphony Society formally emerged only a decade later. In the modern era, SLSO has sprouted two distinct choral formations: the SLSO Chorus, founded in 1976 as an equal partner with the orchestra and now led by Erin Freeman; and the IN UNISON Chorus, led by Kevin McBeth, which was formed in 1994 through partnering with local Black churches to strengthen the SLSO’s ties with the community.

“The identity of the SLSO Chorus is rooted in this shared history and excellence,” says Freeman. “My goal is to double down on that. I also embrace the idea that a strong culture and

community make for a better artistic product, and a strong artistic product makes for a better culture and community.” She adds that the singers should be valued as “a huge asset in terms of being advocates for the organization. They come to concerts, they post on social media and contribute to the perception of how important an orchestral institution can be to the community at large.”

Freeman sees reimagining the rehearsal process itself as a crucial way to strengthen the relationship with an orchestral partner outside actual performance. In November, for example, when she was preparing the SLSO Chorus for Mozart’s Requiem, Freeman suggested going further than usual into expressive details at u

Eric Stark directs the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir in a performance with the Indianapolis Symphony.

The Vital Role of Symphonic Choruses

the first read-through. “It forced those who had the piece committed to memory to interact with the music in a different, fresh way. I posted markings online and asked the singers to transcribe them. Just the act of doing so, of writing into their scores, […] made such a difference when it came time for the live performance.”

“I’ve felt a mandate to integrate all aspects of SLSO’s artistic life under one umbrella,” says CEO and president MarieHélène Bernard. “The two choruses work in tandem as a team. They are not considered as a second. Whether they’re volunteers or professionals, it’s important to make sure that our singers have meaningful artistic experiences that can stretch their own art form.”

Independent Yet Intertwined

This interdependency is not limited to the familiar model of symphonic choruses that operate under the organizational umbrella of an orchestra. The May Festival Chorus represents a unique variant rooted in the tradition of 19th-century choral societies. Founded in 1873 as an enthusiastic response to the wildly popular massedchoir festivals in England, the May Festival paved the way for the formation of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) in 1895. The May Festival Chorus functions under a shared-services agreement as the official chorus of the CSO as well as of the Cincinnati Pops, though it is a separate organization with its own board of directors.

The May Festival Chorus performs with the CSO not only during the storied festival but as part of the orchestra’s regular season. “The May Festival is an important part of the city’s annual cultural calendar, and the chorus and CSO are tied in the public perception, because they often appear together,” says Matthew Swanson, artistic leader of the May Festival Chorus and its related choral ensembles.

These engagements with the May Festival as well the CSO and Cincinnati Pops seasons “give a wide berth to the repertoire we can explore, with the advantage of more calendar time,” Swanson points out. CSO’s incoming music director Cristian Măcelaru is “passionate about works that would be good for the orchestra and the chorus to do together

in Cincinnati,” while a rotating director for the May Festival—Renée Fleming this year—introduces another perspective for repertoire discussions.

Value through Enhancing Community Connections

The 250-voice Minnesota Chorale is another important independent nonprofit chorus that at the same time serves as the official chorus for the Minnesota Orchestra. It also entails a family of choirs—including two youth choirs and a chorus for seniors— covering singers from ages 8 to 80.

Both in-house and fully independent symphonic choruses share a recurring challenge in Chorale artistic director Kathy Saltzman Romey’s view: whenever a chorus stands behind an orchestra, “audiences oftentimes see us as one organization.” So how can choruses establish the unique value they contribute?

“Through our work within the community, in civic collaborations and educational partnerships, and the fact that we are very relational,” Romey says. For example, Music Director Thomas Søndergård will lead the Minnesota Orchestra and Chorale in

Puccini’s Turandot this May. Romey had organized a free open rehearsal as part of a program dubbed InChoir that she initiated in 2002. The goal—which Romey was able to accomplish without having a budget set aside for the initiative—is “to allow community members to participate in the process and experience of singing side-by-side with a symphonic chorus. I provide our guests with a score, and we walk through the work together with the Chorale. I discuss the meaning, historical background, and some of the performance practice issues we are exploring.”

The Twin Cities region, she adds, is a highly active choral community with many different types of choruses. “Many of our singers come from collegiate programs, where they have experienced more chamber repertoire than symphonic choral works. Offering the greater community an opportunity to step into a rehearsal and actively participate in our process has been valuable, both for us and for them.” The Minnesota Orchestra also occasionally allows the Chorale to open rehearsals during the performance week so that audiences can further see the process involved with mounting any given project. “It’s about putting a face to our experience and this repertoire,” she says.

The Minnesota Chorale with Kathy Saltzman Romey at the 2022 Handel’s Messiah Sing Along.

How Independent Choruses Can Build Identity

The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir (TMC) has likewise played a historically significant part in Canada’s music history, predating by three decades the founding of the Toronto

Symphony Orchestra (TSO). While the TMC regularly partners with the orchestra, it remains “fully independent, with our own board and season,” according to artistic director Jean-Sébastien Vallée. “The orchestra has an interest in performing choral-orchestral masterworks, but it usually revolves around the same five works.”

Members of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus and St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus perform together in a concert for MLK Day in 2023.

Vallée also founded a professional 24-voice choir within the TMC, the Toronto Mendelssohn Singers. The smaller choir performs two or three concerts of their own each season, such as a multimedia program in February juxtaposing settings of Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks with Vivaldi’s Gloria. “The Toronto Mendelssohn Singers are the core of the TMC and need opportunities to perform by themselves to develop expertise as a chamber choir so that they can be better when they sing with a large ensemble,” says Vallée.

The smaller ensemble helps broaden the TMC’s creative freedom in choosing repertoire by strengthening its backbone of expertise through such independent projects. The TSO benefits as well, since Vallée can supply a smaller elite group when the orchestra needs a professional chamber choir instead of the full choral apparatus— for example, for last November’s Brilliant Bartók program (including the complete Miraculous Mandarin). u

The Vital Role of Symphonic Choruses

“We can rehearse for just a few hours and so respond to their needs with greater flexibility,” says Vallée. “We are professional not only in our music-making but in the delivery, the way we look, the planning, what goes on behind the scenes. We can also take care of hiring additional choral resources if needed, so that the TSO has to deal with just one chorus master. This has helped us to build a partnership where we have become the go-to provider.”

This close relationship, however, can pose challenges for the TMC’s independent season since the TSO audiences often perceive the chorus as existing only in the context of the orchestra and don’t attend their separate concerts. “We have five fulltime staff members versus the resources of

a full marketing department for the TSO,” Vallée notes. Surveys have shown that TSO audiences do not perceive the chorus as an independent group. To counter this, Vallée and his colleagues have been experimenting with targeted messaging that highlights what the TMC has to offer in its own season apart from the orchestra. One approach has been to foster a deeper sense of connection with TMC audiences through workshops and special community events, such as meetings with the current season’s composer-in-residence, Aaron Manswell.

While TSO music director Gustavo Gimeno tends to be most interested in opera and larger choral-orchestral masterworks, TMC’s contribution is “to bring what’s missing to the public—not necessarily new works but works that the orchestra feels they don’t have a place to perform,” says Vallée.

Although it was initially founded in 1937

“Offering the greater community an opportunity to step into a rehearsal and actively participate in our process has been valuable, both for us and for them.”

–Kathy Saltzman Romey

to partner with the Indianapolis Symphony, the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir has long since operated as a fully independent ensemble. “We produce our own events but are also proud to be onstage with the Indianapolis Symphony,” says artistic director

The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir performs with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jean-Sébastien Vallée.

Eric Stark. “They’re the largest arts organization in the state of Indiana, with a $30 million annual budget. That’s good company to keep. Sometimes, we even hire the ISO to play for us to present Verdi’s Requiem or Bach’s Mass in B minor.”

As an example of the latter relationship, Stark refers to the 2023 world premiere of their last major commission, Toward a Secret Sky, for which Augusta Read Thomas set texts by Rumi. “It was extremely ambitious and took years in advance to work out but resulted in a beautiful piece,” says Stark. “We approached the symphony and were able to make it work.” Another high-profile commission, Mohammed Fairouz’s Zabur in 2014, led to a commercial recording with the ISO; the ISC even toured with the work to Carnegie Hall, where they partnered with a New York-based ensemble.

To highlight the unique value the chorus brings to the region, Stark strategizes innovative collaborations with other performing arts organizations as well. “We’re surrounded with potential arts partners who are also looking for exciting projects to take on together. Some of these have been mountaintop experiences: not just

“We want to make sure that we remember who it is that we’re serving. The first group that we serve is the singers, and a close second is the audience.”

–Jen Rogers

a Carmina Burana, but a Carmina Burana collaboration with our professional dance companies, or Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe with full choreography.”

The San Diego Master Chorale similarly began life under the umbrella of an orchestral organization. It was founded in 1961 under the auspices of San Diego Symphony to serve as a “permanent choral affiliate” but with the expectation that it promote the choral arts through its own concert series as well. Since 1975, the Chorale has operated independently. Executive director Jen Rogers likens this origin story to “Eve

being created from Adam’s rib—it’s a point of pride for the singers.”

With the return of San Diego Symphony to its renovated and dramatically improved indoor concert hall at the Jacobs Center this season, what form the orchestra’s relationship with the Master Chorale will continue to take remains to be determined. Rogers, who is known for transforming the Phoenix Chorale during her tenure as its leader, has increased the ensemble’s audience by 75 percent and ticket sales by 115 percent. She emphasizes the importance of “branding, messaging, consistent communication, and marketing” as essential tools to strengthen a chorus’s identity.

“Orchestras tend to have a high staff turnover rate, so often there’s not a lot of institutional memory,” says Rogers. “The result is that the meaning of decades of history working collaboratively with an orchestra sometimes doesn’t carry over from one staff person to the next. It’s really important to know your organization’s history and to ensure that the orchestra’s staff has a sense of it as well.”

Rogers believes it is essential to forge a unique identity and audience, regardless u

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The Vital Role of Symphonic Choruses

of how relationships with a partner orchestra develop in the future. “With Phoenix, I discovered that building relationships with your audience through communication and consistency is key,” she says. “Choristers are very connected, active people, from all walks of life, and their networks are vast.”

To optimize relationships with orchestras, Rogers suggests accepting the fact that choruses will be “on the symphony’s timetable. That means you’ve got to come up with your own internal timeline and then communicate that clearly with the organization. It’s crucial to show up prepared.”

Another good strategy is looking for gaps in what is being programmed regarding choral-orchestral repertoire. “Our audience in San Diego is actually growing. I think people are hungry for this music, and our singers want to do it,” says Rogers. “So

we are looking for a way to fill those gaps. We want to make sure that we remember who it is that we’re serving. The first group that we serve is the singers, and a close second is the audience.”

Balancing Autonomy and Partnership

As the artistic director of the Master Chorale of South Florida, Brett Karlin calibrates a fine balance of season offerings and engagements to maintain the ensemble’s independent identity. “We position ourselves as a community asset by producing a series of our own concerts that reflect our artistic vision.

As a secondary priority, we entertain the opportunity for orchestral collaborations.

“The orchestral collaborations we choose typically end up being performances that we would not target for self-produced programming,” says Karlin. “They address

“The orchestral collaborations we choose […] address holes in our own programming that we want to make sure are a part of the singers’ musical lives.”

–Brett Karlin

holes in our own programming that we want to make sure are a part of the singers’ musical lives and are a part of the organizational, overall artistic direction.”

For example, in March they joined with the New World Symphony, Florida Singing Sons, the Girl Choir of South Florida, and a trio of internationally celebrated soloists to perform Britten’s War Requiem. The col-

Master Chorale of South Florida with artistic director Brett Karlin conducting the chorus and the Lynn Philharmonia in Mendelssohn’s Elijah

laboration came about from a newly evolving relationship with the orchestra under music director Stéphane Denève. Previously, Karlin notes, the New World Symphony had not been presenting choral-orchestral music for years.

What can independent choruses do to help ensure they are appropriately valued— and compensated—for the artistic product they bring to the table? Karlin says that an indispensable strategy involves scheduling a meeting with “some of the key players and representatives from the orchestra so that they can understand very specifically and transparently the associated costs that the chorus takes on in mounting a largescale performance. So, in this case, we had a candid phone conversation with the lead negotiator from the New World Symphony.

“My colleagues who are conductors of symphony choruses generally believe fervently that whether you have a volunteerbased ensemble or a professional ensemble, you can absolutely reach the same level of artistic product,” Karlin adds. “And we are all trying to make the best music possible.”

As artistic director of The Washington Chorus (TWC), Eugene Rogers navigates a

“Because of the many different people who come to sing in our chorus, we have a multitude of perspectives that helps us diversify our community and make ourselves more relevant to everyone who comes into the concert hall.”

–Jenny Wong

complex path of independence and collaboration. TWC regularly performs with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) and collaborates with the Baltimore Symphony, Wolf Trap, and the National Philharmonic at Strathmore.

Rogers, who spearheaded the new partnership with the National Philharmonic, explains that it differs from the more conventional collaborative model with the NSO. “We both put up money for the halls, promote together, and split the proceeds. We dream up ideas together trying to push the envelope.” As an example, he refers to the program that opened the 2023–24 season, pairing the East Coast premiere of Breaths of Universal Longings by James Lee

III with Antonio Estévez’s  Cantata Criolla, for which they partnered with the local Venezuelan community “to attract more Latinx audience members.”

TWC’s independent organization “allows us freedom to architect a season based on our own vision and mission,” according to Rogers, while also contributing to the mission of the NSO and other partners. With that artistic freedom and range comes the challenge “to be very nimble” to adjust to the needs of orchestral partners— whether in terms of the size of the chorus, choices of tempo and interpretation, or even “the narrative of how these concerts are produced.” Rogers emphasizes his abiding lesson that “quality is your word. u

iPad?

It is non-negotiable. Although we are an auditioned symphonic chorus, most of our members are not musicians by day. Yet we challenge these singers at a very high level to produce a first-rate product. This is the way you maintain these relationships.”

Reaffirming Values

For the past several years, overall trends in the choral field have been shaped by the ongoing recovery from the pandemic’s enforced silence. Yet the new uncertainty around federal funding has now been added to issues of unresolved contract negotiations—like the one that triggered the San Francisco Symphony Chorus strike—and looms as another source of potential disruption.

A major difference in the dynamics between an orchestra and a chorus is that many orchestra players are employed in their positions full-time, in contrast even to singers in a professional choral organization,

–Jen Rogers

according to Jen Rogers. The result can be that choruses are considered an “afterthought” and are not valued in the same way. The need to reaffirm the essential role they play is stronger than ever.

As symphonic choruses navigate a shifting artistic and financial landscape, their future will depend on proactive advocacy, innovative collaborations, and a bold redefinition of their role—not just as partners to orchestras, but as vital forces that can draw on their own bonds with the audience and community.

Programs like the Minnesota Chorale’s InChoir could be expanded to encourage behind-the-scenes access for donors and

board members—perhaps through VIP rehearsals and meet-and-greets with chorus leadership. In this way, they might be better able to understand how financial investment in the chorus has a direct impact on the quality of performances and audience reach.

“The art itself is one of the best ways that we can advocate for ourselves as symphonic choruses,” says Jenny Wong. “First and foremost, we need to hold ourselves to the expectations that orchestral musicians do when we’re not only on stage but also in rehearsal, to let the music speak. We are the ambassadors for the whole symphony. Because of the many different people who some to sing in our chorus, we have a multitude of perspectives that helps us diversify our community and make ourselves more relevant to everyone who comes into the concert hall.” n

Thomas May is a freelance writer, critic, educator, and translator whose work has been published internationally. The Englishlanguage editor for Lucerne Festival and U.S. correspondent for The Strad, he also writes for such publications as The New York Times Gramophone, and Musical America

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SPARKING CHANGE

How to Design, Administer, and Use Survey Data to Drive Organizational Growth

Audience surveys can be powerful tools for organizational change—or they can be a waste of everyone’s time. How can you make surveys work for your chorus? The executive directors of three vibrant choral organizations weigh in on what works and how to use your data effectively.

In the busy schedule of any chorus, it can feel difficult to make the time to plan and implement audience surveys, and you may find yourself wondering if it’s worth the effort. A well-designed survey can provide important feedback to support organizational change, collect data needed to make a compelling case to funders, and best of all, it doesn’t have to be difficult to design or administer. The value of surveys is worth the effort, and with the advice of three experienced choral administrators, you can harness their power for your chorus.

How Can Survey Data Spark Change?

Cantate, one of the Washington DC area’s premier choral organizations composed of the 32-voice Chamber Singers ensemble and the larger Concert Choir, is using data to measure its progress on reaching a representative swath of its community. According to executive director Cara Schaefer, Cantate started doing demographic surveys in 2023 because a glance at its audience showed that it was not representative of the organization’s larger community. Cantate initially set out to collect baseline data on those attending its concerts, and is now comparing current data to its baseline and to county census data. “It’s stark,” Schaefer says. “We have a lot of work to do. But it shows us […] what direction we’re going, where we need to be stronger, and it will inform how we build our ADEI plan.”

Cantate knows that there is a disparity in the diversity of its audience versus the diversity of its community, and communicating its desire to change that via the data it is collecting from surveys has emphasized its importance to stakeholders. “Data-ize big ideas,” Schaefer says. “It makes it easier for people to process them.” Once Cantate measures and understands this disparity, it can find ways to build bridges, and if it is successful, its audience surveys will measure the closure of the disparity over time.

So far, the data has energized Cantate’s board to reinstate its advisory board, with

“The delivery of a survey has to be filtered through that care that we want to show folks. That begins to start shaping every other decision you make with data collection.”

–Andrew Hansen

members intentionally recruited to reflect the area’s demographics. The advisory board will be compensated for meeting several times a year and providing insights into its community, according to Schaefer. Furthermore, each member will be given six tickets to Cantate’s concerts to share in their circles, and audience members in their parties will be awarded gift cards for responding to surveys about the impact of each performance.

“We’re playing the long game here, as there is no evaluating trends before at least two years of data is collected, there is no responding to these trends until after that, and there is no judging the efficacy of these responses until well after that,” says Schaefer. “Though it’s a truly long-term investment,

our people appear to be on board, and we’re confident in the buy-in of our attendees and the worthiness of the effort.”

VOX Femina, a 45-member women’s ensemble located in Los Angeles, has three goals for its audience surveys, according to executive director Rebecca Wink.

The first goal is to find out what the audience thinks about its concerts and make sure the organization is meeting their needs. The second is to collect demographic data in order to respond to funder questions. The third goal is to help segment its marketing and social media efforts and develop an audience “avatar” to help describe its audience to potential advertisers.

Wink shares that while response rates can be frustrating, surveys have helped VOX Femina to understand and respond to the needs of its audience. For example, after using supertitles at one concert, VOX Femina received overwhelming feedback that its audience wants supertitles whenever possible. The chorus now always has supertitles in venues that can accommodate it, and it is exploring ways of including supertitles at venues that are not already equipped for it. Another example is renting risers to improve sightlines in a new venue due to feedback received from an audience survey.

But be cautious: it’s not possible to respond to every request. Wink reminds u

Left: Members of the Pacific Youth Choir perform at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland.

Right: VOX Femina shines a light on the humanity of two distinct middle east cultures at their Mosaics from the Middle East concert.

Sparking Change

us that we can’t change our programming just because one person wants something different, but overall, surveys help VOX Femina to improve the audience experience.

The Pacific Youth Choir, which is based in Portland, Oregon, and annually serves hundreds of students ages 5–18, has recently focused on surveying participant families in order to collect data on participant demographics and tuition assistance, says executive director Andrew Hansen. That focus will change to audience surveys at the organization’s spring concert.

How Can Your Organization Increase Survey Response Rates?

Prior to taking the role of executive director with the Pacific Youth Choir, Hansen consulted with dozens of nonprofit clients around the country on projects and initia-

tives to increase their revenue, supporters, and impact. In his experience, being thoughtful about communicating up front what to expect and how the information will be used will always increase your response rates.

“From a hospitality perspective, if you’re going to do it, you want to do it well,” he says. “If you can’t afford to do it well because that’s just not the season your organization is in, that’s ok. I think that folks have greater grace for that than we sometimes think. Doing it in a way that feels relatable, that is a two-way conversation, is going to carry a lot of goodwill.” Accessibility also helps to increase response rates. The Pacific Youth Choir prioritizes digital communication, and while emailing a link is a convenient way to ask people to fill out a survey when connecting with audiences online, it finds QR codes to be ideal for in-person events. In a post-pandemic world, people are more familiar with how to use QR codes, and it’s easy to add them to programs or display them on signs.

“The delivery of a survey has to be filtered through that care that we want to show folks,” Hansen says. “That begins to start shaping every other decision you make with data collection, because ultimately you’re asking a person to give you their time, so how are we doing that in a way that makes them feel seen and known?”

VOX Femina’s surveys are also online only and are administered after every concert via an emailed link to a Google Form. After a recent concert, 16% of the total audience responded to the survey, a response rate that Wink says is typical for them.

Cantate’s surveys are administered in person; they are included in hard copy in the programs for each concert (each includes a QR code for an online response option). Schaefer finds that a majority of Cantate’s audience is comfortable with pen and paper, though younger audience members are more likely to access the digital survey.

“If there are takeaways, it’s simplicity, and ease and speed of doing the survey,” she says. “It’s really how you deliver it, and the best way to explain it is in person.”

A performance by the award-winning Cantate Chamber Singers.

Schaefer gives a “spiel” about surveys at each Cantate concert that she says is extremely effective. “It’s really about a few certain points,” she says. “Our organization is here to serve the community. So, the first reason we do this is to understand how much of the community we’re serving and who we’re serving. It also helps us understand who in our community we are not serving, so we can develop a plan to serve them better.

“I say this and suddenly you start to hear pens clicking,” she says. She also tells the audience that funders ask for demographic data, and that filling out a survey is an easy way to help the organization without even opening your wallet.

Encouraging audiences to fill out surveys has become a major part of her curtain speech. If for some reason she doesn’t give this speech, response rates drop. But incorporating these points into a heartfelt request has been so effective that Cantate has seen its response rate go from 20% to a consistent 80%. At one small event for a consulting client, Schaefer even saw a 100% response rate. “People say they found the appeal to do the survey really moving,” she says with a laugh. “They want to hear those reasons.”

Cantate has seen response rates continue to increase this year, as audience members become more aware of the importance of the surveys and feel like they are participating in the wellbeing of the organization. “I have found so much connection with our audiences when I circulate with baskets for collecting surveys,” Schaefer says. “Spectators ask questions about upcoming programming, have genuine interest in the survey results, talk to me about making donations […] It turns out that once the habit is formed in a sincere and heartfelt way, people really get on board.”

How Many Questions Should You Ask, and How Do You Formulate Them?

“The way you phrase a question should always aid in the data you’re trying to collect and how you report on it,” Wink advises. For the most part, that means phrasing questions so that answers will be quantifiable (e.g., 90% of audience members reported that __________). But don’t lose

sight of the value of open-ended questions. Having a combination of quantifiable and open-ended questions will get you both quotes and data that you can report on.

VOX Femina’s survey has 10–14 questions and sub-questions. Wink suggests that it can be interesting to fill out surveys of other organizations or businesses, as the experience can help you think about your own survey questions.

Cantate’s survey has 11 questions and fits on one side of one sheet of paper. “Brevity is really important,” Schaefer says.

Cantate’s surveys are also fully anonymous, utilizing Google Forms for online surveys and not collecting email addresses. Schaefer stresses to audiences that their responses are not traceable, so they should feel free to be open and honest. For organizations creating their own surveys, she emphasizes the importance of always having a “prefer not to answer” option. This helps respondents to feel that their privacy is respected and can encourage them to fill out the survey even if there are one or two questions they would rather not answer.

“Once the habit is formed in a sincere and heartfelt way, people really get on board.”

–Cara Schaefer

When formulating questions, it’s important to work backward to determine what to ask on your survey. “What is it we need to know?” Hansen asks. “Then we work backward from it to think about which questions will get us there in the most efficient way possible.”

He also encourages organizations to be thoughtful about the mixture of qualitative and quantitative questions. “Quantitative questions that have defined answers will always be fruitful and [are] easier for folks to fill out,” he says. “A lot of times we’ll put open-ended questions on our surveys, and they produce valuable insights, but it’s so difficult to compare that information.”

Despite the challenges, qualitative questions are worth including as they can provide beneficial feedback that wouldn’t be captured by quantitative questions.

Hansen also recommends including fewer questions on a survey that is intended for people with less commitment or less of an established relationship with your organization, and more questions for people with a deeper relationship and commitment. “Someone you’ve been in relationship with for a long time is going to be more willing to give you their time,” he says. “They’re also going to feel that you value their perspective that much more when you’re asking a handful of questions. The exact number is relative.”

Incentivizing Survey

Responses—the Nuts and Bolts

Incentives can be a useful tool to help encourage survey responses, but Hansen cautions not to overspend on an incentive. The ideal incentive, he says, is one that is perceived by potential respondents to be valuable but costs the organization less than the perceived value. An example might be entering respondents into a drawing for free or reduced tuition for a youth choir if you’re asking parents to fill out a survey.

VOX Femina enters respondents into a drawing for free tickets and a $50 Amazon gift card. According to Wink, the gift card gives extra incentive for people to fill out the survey, and since it’s just one gift card, it doesn’t break the budget. Cantate has not incentivized its surveys yet, but Schaefer says that she is considering entering respondents into a drawing for a gift card or a dinner. The incentive will be something outside the organization, because Cantate particularly hopes to encourage people outside its normal audience—for example, someone who comes to a program of Brazilian music but doesn’t necessarily have a strong interest in choral music in general— and it wants the incentive to be valuable to that type of audience member.

However, Schaefer points out that incentivizing is challenging if you also want to keep your survey anonymous. This is part of the reason she hasn’t incentivized the surveys yet; she feels that anonymity is important to solicit honest feedback, and collecting respondents’ data to enter them into a drawing may make patrons feel that their responses are traceable. Even if they are not being traced, it might be enough to discourage honesty. u

Chorus America Officers

Chair

Anton Armstrong

St. Olaf College (MN)

Chair Elect

Mark Lawson

ECS Publishing Group (MO)

Treasurer Steven Neiffer

Los Angeles Master Chorale (CA)

Secretary Diana V. Sáez

Towson University (MD)

Members of the Board

Laura Adlers

Management Consultant (ON)

Jeffrey Barnett

Dorsal Capital Management LLC (CA)

Charles Berardesco

Baltimore Choral Arts Society (MD)

Dashon Burton

Professional Singer (NY)

Thomas Cooke

Voce (CT)

Iris Derke

Distinguished Concerts International New York (NY)

Rollo Dilworth

Temple University (PA)

Maria A. Ellis

Educator and Conductor; Girl Conductor LLC (MO)

David Hayes

New York Choral Society (NY)

Robert Istad

Pacific Chorale; CSU Fullerton (CA)

Craig Hella Johnson

Conspirare (TX); Oregon Bach Festival (OR)

Anne B. Keiser

Choral Arts Society of Washington (DC)

Mary Tuuk Kuras

MTK Practical Leadership (MI)

Alysia Lee

Baltimore Children & Youth Fund; Sister Cities Girlchoir (MD)

Mary Doughty Mauch

Conductor and Community Organizer (IL)

Marcela Molina

Tucson Girls Chorus (AZ)

David Morrow

Morehouse College (GA)

Brian Newhouse

Minnesota Orchestra (MN)

John Nuechterlein

Community Leader (MN)

Elizabeth Núñez

Young People’s Chorus of New York City; SoHarmoniums Women’s Choir (NY)

Eric V. Oliver

Zion Baptist Church; Loretta C. Manggrum Chorale (OH)

Dianne Peterson

The Washington Chorus; New Orchestra of Washington (DC)

Molly Buzick Pontin

City of Lakewood (CO)

Andrea Ramsey

Composer, Conductor, and Music Educator (MO)

Eugene Rogers

University of Michigan (MI); The Washington Chorus (DC)

Steven F. Smith

Berkshire Choral International (MA)

Carrie Tennant

Vancouver Youth Choir (BC)

Anthony Trecek-King

Handel and Haydn Society (MA)

Jean-Sébastien Vallée

Toronto Mendelssohn

Christopher Verdugo

San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (CA)

Duain Wolfe

Colorado Symphony Chorus (CO)

Sparking Change

Tips and Tricks for Successful Surveys

Keep it simple. “We’re all capable of doing more surveying than we think we are,” Hansen says. A survey can be as simple as a single demographic question that ticket buyers are prompted to answer when they check out.

Follow up with respondents when appropriate. Non-anonymous surveys can provide opportunities to interact directly with audience members who share feedback. VOX Femina’s surveys can be anonymous, or the patron has the option to include their email address. When a particular respondent gave feedback that she wanted to learn more, Wink was able to contact her and have a valuable back and forth interaction, which provided useful information for the organization and ensured that the patron truly felt heard, thereby increasing loyalty to the organization.

Use surveys to plan organizational changes and to communicate change. Hansen urges organizations to be thoughtful about the pace of change. He believes that people can tolerate more change than we sometimes realize, but surveying gives us a better idea of where fears or questions or anxieties might exist. This can help an organization understand what changes to make and how to communicate around change.

Celebrate your successes. Schaefer says it is important to recognize where there is still work to do, but also to celebrate your successes. Surveys can help

you do both, and help you move closer to your vision for a better future for your chorus and your community. “Envision the beautiful thing,” she says. “Live into it.”

Survey data can help your organization be more responsive to audiences and funders. Be open with your audience about why the data is important to your chorus, make it easy for audiences to respond, and keep your surveys within your capacity to administer and utilize. If you’re just starting with audience surveys, start simple and learn as you go, tracking response rates so you can improve them over time.

Surveys can be a powerful tool to help your chorus reach its goals. Be thoughtful about the data you need and how you ask for it, and you’ll be able to design successful surveys that can help your organization navigate change. n

Caitlin Patton is the Executive Director of the National Music Festival and a Standards for Excellent Licensed Consultant. She lives on a small farm in Maryland and is a choral singer, violinist, and former board chair of the Chester River Chorale.

Ready to start putting together your own audience survey? Take a look at Cantate’s and VOX Femina’s surveys here.

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