The Choral Arts Society of Washington
Experience. Passion. Harmony. Space. This is choral music—a story that soars from a composer’s intention to a conductor’s interpretation, from a chorus’s passion to an audience’s moment of awe. Leaping from the page to the lungs to the air, it reverberates in the chambers of the heart. Transporting us out of ourselves. Ushering us into ourselves. Mind. Breath. Sound. Heart. Choral singing is an elemental human experience, a sound with the power to crack open new worlds.
Choral Arts imbues every single performance with the promise of this experience. Based in the nation’s capital, we weave our shared passion, world-class repertoire, and radiant voices into a sound that changes people. We sing for a city with little time and high expectations, which compels us to transform a night out into a lifelong memory. We defy preconceived notions – exploring styles, arrangements, spaces, and collaborations that reimagine traditions and create surprising new ones.
At Choral Arts, we sing the music we love as a balm to frenzied days, an antidote to solitude, a union in an often-fractured world. As our conductor raises their baton, a moment is born. As our melody rises, spirits rise with it. As our notes weave intricate harmonies, the bonds between people are strengthened. And as our last note fades, in the heartbeat before the ovation, you will suddenly hear the story singing within you—a small awakening to take back into the world.
Founded in 1965 by Norman Scribner (1936–2015), Choral Arts has a rich history of bringing the power of the human voice to audiences large and small. We advance the story of choral music by partnering with musicians, composers, and ensembles from all walks of life.