The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and Blossom Festival Chorus
Robert Porco, Director
Betsy Burleigh, Assistant Director

The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus is one of the few professionally-trained, all-volunteer choruses sponsored by an American orchestra. In addition to performing with the Orchestra in four to six subscription concert weekends each season and in the Orchestra's annual Christmas concerts at Severance Hall, the Chorus has appeared with the Orchestra on tour (both domestic and abroad), on television, in special concerts (such as the 1994 opening of Jacobs Field and the 1996 Cleveland Bicentennial concert in the Flats), and in numerous recordings. The Chorus has also toured on its own, either a cappella or with other ensembles, to the Casals Festival in San Juan, Puerto Rico (1962-64), to the Chautauqua Institution in New York (1975-2001), and to various venues in England, Wales, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg, and Germany (1986-2000).

With The Cleveland Orchestra, the Chorus has visited Carnegie Hall 18 times between 1965 and 2002. Those were not its first visits to Carnegie Hall, however. In conjunction with the Casals Festival in 1962, 1963, and 1964, the Chorus appeared at Carnegie Hall (after its San Juan, Puerto Rico concerts) with the Festival Casals Orchestra under the direction of Pablo Casals. Interestingly, the June 1964 concerts in San Juan and Carnegie Hall featured Haydn's The Creation, which the Chorus is once again performing at the opening of The Cleveland Orchestra's 85th season on September 19, 20, and 21, 2002, in celebration of the debut of Franz Welser-Möst as the Orchestra's seventh music director.

The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus has accompanied the Orchestra to Europe twice, including Christoph von Dohnányi's first tour to Europe with the Orchestra in 1986. This tour marked the first time that an American orchestra appeared overseas with its own chorus. The next appearance in Europe with the Orchestra took place in August 2000 at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. In addition, the Chorus has appeared in Europe without the Orchestra in 1989 and 1997. Walton's Belshazzar's Feast, performed in Birmingham, England in 1997 with the City of Birmingham Orchestra and Chorus under the direction of Sir Simon Rattle, elicited particularly glowing reviews for the Cleveland choristers from music critics and Sir Simon alike.

As a permanent, ongoing group led by Cleveland Orchestra-appointed directors, the modern-day Cleveland Orchestra Chorus goes back to the 1952/53 season. Since that time, this ensemble has performed over 800 concerts with the Orchestra. On its own, the Chorus has performed at least another 45 concerts. In addition, many Chorus members participate in the Blossom Festival Chorus (founded in 1968 for the inaugural concert at the newly-formed Blossom Music Center), which also includes members of other Northeast Ohio choral groups. Through the Blossom 2006 season, the Blossom Festival Chorus concerts have totaled 130. The Blossom Chorus has often joined The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus in performances at Chautauqua, on Cleveland's Public Square for the annual Fourth of July concerts and for the annual Holiday Festival at Severance Hall. Over the past 50 years, The Cleveland Orchestra's two major choral groups have totaled over 950 performances.

Cleveland Orchestra Chorus members hail from all over northeast Ohio, including nearly 50 area communities. In recent years some have traveled for weekly rehearsals from as far away as Youngstown, Wooster, and Orville. The 140 members donate over 50,000 hours annually in rehearsal and performance time. Additionally, through a variety of development efforts, they have raised over $1.3 million for past and future touring. Members range in age from 18 to 75, and at least half-a-dozen singers have been members for over 35 years. Over the past 50 years they have sung a wide-ranging repertoire comprised of 66 different composers. The top five works performed most often (with the Orchestra) include: Handel, "Hallelujah Chorus"; Beethoven, Symphony No. 9; Mahler, Symphony No. 2; Brahms, German Requiem; and Verdi, Requiem. The Chorus's repertoire has been performed not only under the Orchestra's music directors and choral conductors, but also under an amazing array of distinguished guest conductors including Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Pablo Casals, Sir Colin Davis, Charles Dutoit, Sir Neville Marriner, Kurt Masur, Sir Simon Rattle, and Michael Tilson Thomas.

Over the years, The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus has embarked upon a number of special projects, including participating in 19 Cleveland Orchestra recordings, 4 of which have won Grammy Awards, and another 3 of which have received Grammy nominations. In addition, the Chorus, in cooperation with the Musical Arts Association has produced 5 Christmas recordings, the proceeds of which have gone into the Chorus's touring fund. The Chorus has performed in numerous telecasts, including two local Emmy Award-winning productions during the 1970s entitled "Heartsong, U.S.A." and "The Wandering Muse of Artemus Flagg". Even Hollywood has beckoned The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus. It is their voices that are heard on the soundtrack recording for Warren Beatty's award-wining film Reds, released in 1981.

Although today's Cleveland Orchestra Chorus was first formed during the 1952/53 season at the request of fourth Music Director George Szell, its origins can be traced back to the earliest days of The Cleveland Orchestra. During the Orchestra's third season in 1920/21, founding manager Adella Prentiss Hughes issued an invitation for Clevelanders to join a Cleveland Orchestra Chorus. It lasted less than a year and was led by Arthur Shepherd, the Orchestra's Assistant Conductor. Subsequent Orchestra performances of choral works enlisted the participation of other choral groups (such as the Singers Club, the Bach Chorus, & the Sherwin-Williams Chorus), and choruses from churches (such as the Epworth Euclid Choral Society, the St. James Festival Choir, & the First Unitarian Church Choir), music festivals (such as Hiram Festival Chorus & the Eastern Maine Festival Chorus), and schools (such as the Glenville High School Choral Club, the Western Reserve University Choir, and the Oberlin Musical Union). For a short while during the early 1930s, another Cleveland Orchestra Chorus existed under the direction of Griffith J. Jones.

During the mid 1930s, yet more short-lived Cleveland Orchestra choral ensembles were established. One, known as the Cleveland Philharmonic Chorus, flourished for nearly a decade and gave notable performances of symphonic choral works such as Verdi, Manzoni Requiem in 1937 and Bach, St. Matthew Passion in 1938. Another similar but smaller group, known as The Cleveland Orchestra Opera Chorus, provided the choral forces for most of the staged operas produced and directed by the Orchestra's second music director Artur Rodzinski. During most of their brief histories, both ensembles were led by noted conductor, opera producer and commentator Boris Goldovsky (who had studied with Ernst von Dohnányi in Budapest). In addition, during the Orchestra's first thirty years or so, ad hoc choral groups were put together for certain special concerts such as the opening of Severance Hall in February 1931, and performances of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in April 1951 and April 1952.

Unhappy with the quality of ephemeral choruses, George Szell initiated the formation of a permanent chorus affiliated with the Orchestra. It was open to local singers by audition and directed by local choral conductors Russell Gee and Robert Stofer, who were paid by The Cleveland Orchestra. After its founding in 1952/53, The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus quickly proved its artistic worth. Four years later, in 1956, Szell maneuvered a further upgrade by inviting a young and nationally prominent choral conductor named Robert Shaw to join the Orchestra's conducting staff as chorus conductor and associate conductor, further solidifying the Chorus’ reputation for quality. Chorus directors since Mr. Shaw have been Clayton, H. Krehbiel (1967-69), Margaret Hillis (1969-71), Robert Page (1971-89), Gareth Morrell (1989-98) and Robert Porco (1998-present).

Auditions for both the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and Blossom Festival Chorus are held each Spring. This year, they will take place on April 30 and May 1, 2008. Potential chorus members are asked to prepare two contrasting pieces from the classical literature, with one in a foreign language if possible. In addition, singers are tested in their sight reading abilities. An accompanist is provided at the audition. To schedule an audition for the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus or Blossom Festival Chorus, please call the Chorus office at (216) 231-7372 or send an e-mail to chorus@clevelandorchestra.com.

Chorus Member Login

The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus
Frank A. Bianchi, Director
Sheila Ludwig, Assistant Director

In 1991, The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus was founded to help raise awareness of choral music-making in the schools of northeastern Ohio and to encourage more students to continue their choral activities through college and into adulthood. The 65 members of the Youth Chorus are in grades 9 to 12 and each year represent some 40 schools and communities. Like their colleagues in the Youth Orchestra, they are chosen through competitive auditions held each Spring. This year the auditions will take place on April 13 and 27, 2008.

The Youth Chorus has performed with the Youth Orchestra and The Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall and several schools in northeastern Ohio. In addition, select members of the Youth Chorus have participated in performances at the annual summer Blossom Festival and with The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus at Severance Hall. The Youth Chorus also participates in the annual Holiday Festival at Severance Hall, most recently being featured as part of the annual Organ & Brass concerts. The Youth Orchestra rehearses on Sunday afternoons from October to March.

Students in grades 9 – 12 are eligible to audition for the Youth Chorus, as are 8th grade boys with changed voices. Youth Chorus alumni who are freshman may also be asked by the director to participate in Youth Chorus activities in the role of section leader. For the audition, students are asked to prepare a piece from the OMEA class A or B list, or something comparable. Broadway or “pop” tunes are not acceptable. In addition to the prepared piece, students will be tested on their vocal range, rhythmic and tonal memory skills, and sightreading skills. An accompanist is provided at the audition. There is a $75 tuition fee, plus to cost of concert attire to participate. Scholarships are available to those in need. To schedule an audition for the Youth Chorus, please contact the Chorus Office at (216) 231-7374 or via e-mail at chorus@clevelandorchestra.com.

Initial funding for the Youth Chorus was provided by the W.O. Frohring Foundation, the Edward and Ruth Wilkof Foundation, and the Sears Family Foundation. Ongoing support is provided by the Wilkof Foundation.

The Cleveland Orchestra Children's Chorus
Ann Usher, Director

Formed in 1967, the 65-member Children's Chorus participates in performances each year with the Cleveland Orchestra and Cleveland Orchestra Chorus at Severance Hall and in the summer at the Blossom Music Center. Recent works performed include Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, Schumann’s Scenes from Faust, Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, Britten’s War Requiem, Berlioz's Te Deum, Orff's Carmina Burana, Boito's "Prologue in the Heavens" from Mefistopheles, Berlioz's Damnation of Faust, Mahler's Symphony No. 3 and the annual Christmas concerts. The children also perform annually at the University CircleFest in December. The COCC presents an independent concert each spring featuring a diverse repertoire of children’s chorus literature. In April 2001, the COCC hosted the Eastman Bach Children's Chorus from Rochester, NY for a joint performance at Fairmount Temple. The Chorus has also performed the National Anthem for several Cleveland Indians home games.

The Children's Chorus rehearses Monday evenings from 7 – 9 pm. The newly formed Cleveland Orchestra Preparatory Children’s Chorus rehearses from 6 – 7 pm on Monday evenings and is a training chorus for less experienced and younger singers. In addition to vocal production and choral performance skills, an emphasis is placed on sight-reading using movable do solfege and Kodaly/Curwen hand signs. Student leadership skills are developed with the intention that singers will use these skills to strengthen the other choirs they participate in at their public or private schools.

The Cleveland Orchestra Children's Chorus and Children’s Preparatory Chorus is open by audition to boys and girls entering 5th – 8th grades. All boys must have unchanged treble voices. At the audition, students are asked to sing the first verse of America in any key and the first verse of America the Beautiful in the key of D major. Students are also asked to sight-read a step-wise melodic line and a rhythmic exercise. Short vocalises are given to assess range, pitch-matching ability, tone color, vowel production, and ability to maintain tonal center. Singers are selected by mid-June. There is a nominal cost to the student for participation plus the cost of concert uniform attire. Scholarships are available to those in need. This year, auditions will be held on May 19, May 27, June 2 and June 7, 2008. To schedule an audition, please contact the Chorus Office at (216) 231-7374 or via e-mail at chorus@clevelandorchestra.com.