Choralis will continue to offer a mix of high-quality performances, education opportunities, and community arts enrichment in our 2018-19 season, entitled Making a Difference. As Choralis marks its 19th annivesary season, we will be using our major concerts not only to present music of different styles and emotional intents but to “make a difference” for other charitable or social services organizations. A sneak peek of our concert season and the other ways that Choralis will be Making a Difference follows.
- Selected Tuesdays in July/August 2018: Summer Sings Series – Choralis will offer community enrichment through three “Summer Sing” events at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Falls Church. Each time, community members will be invited to sing-through a choral masterwork, led by Artistic Director Gretchen Kuhmann and with professional soloists, and keyboard accompaniment. A July 17th Sing will be of the Fauré Requem and Rutter Requiem; an August 21st Sing will be of Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem (in German), and an August 28th Sing will be of Mendelssohn’s Elijah.
- Saturday, September 8, 2018: Young Artist Competition – Emerging vocal soloists will compete at Fairfax Presbyterian Church to be featured soloists for the October 14th Choralis concert. The competition will be open to the public throughout its timeframe of 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
- Sunday, October 14, 2018: “Century of the Common Man” – Choralis will be joined by the winners of the 2018 Young Artists Competition, a brass and percussion ensemble, and organist Todd Fickley to present a program of 20th century music inspired by the courage and sacrifice of the “common man” in the First and Second World Wars, including Josef Jongen’s Messe en l’honneur du Saint-Sacrement, Op.130,; additional choral works by Duruflé and Penderecki; Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man and all-brass arrangement of Holst’s Mars from The Planets; and Duruflé’s Prélude et Fugue sur le nom d’Alain, Op. 7 for organ at National Presbyterian Church (Washington, DC). Attendees will be invited to bring new or gently-used board games and Xbox 1 games to the concert for donation to the USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore.
- Sunday, December 2, 2018: A concert and sing-along of Handel’s Messiah to support organizations assisting Fairfax County homeless. With strings and pipe organ, Choralis and guest soloists will perform Messiah (Part I), with the audience invited to sing-along on the choruses. Patrons who bring a food or toiletries donation for the food pantry and Facets hypothermia shelter programs at Fairfax Presbyterian Church will receive a ticket discount. The concert will be held at Fairfax Presbyterian Church.
- Friday, December 7 and Saturday, December 8, 2018: “A Classic Brass Christmas” Concert – Choralis and Echos and The Classical Brass Quintet will perform holiday favorites at two festive concerts: one at Church of the Epiphany (Washington, DC) and one at Providence Presbyterian Church (Fairfax). Proceeds from a “conducting raffle” and sales of our CDs at each concert will benefit Facets, a transitional housing organization in Fairfax.
- Saturday, March 9, 2019: “My Song is Love Unknown” – Choralis and Echos will perform music by renowned British composer Francis Pott and other contemporary composers, including Bob Chilcott Attendees will be invited to bring donations of eyeglasses for the Lions Club “Recycle for Vision” program.
- Sunday, June 2, 2019: Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” – Choralis will perform Mendelssohn’s oratorio masterpiece, with orchestra, at National Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC. Soloists will be Kerry Wilkerson, Baritone; Danielle Talamantes, Soprano, Kristen Dubenion-Smith, Mezzo-Soprano, and Dennys Moura, Tenor. Attendees will be able to support Charity:Water at the concert.
- June 5, 2019 (date tentative): 10th Annual Greater Washington Area Choral Excellence (Ovation) Awards, established by Choralis to recognize outstanding contributions to the choral music community as well as outstanding performances and programming,
Singers interested in joining Choralis for the 2018-19 season should email: auditions@choralis.org to schedule an audition. Information about the audition process is provided on the Auditions page of this website.
Choralis also will continue its exceptional High School Singing Scholars (HSSS) program through which 12 high school-aged singers participate as full members of Choralis with waivers of the membership dues, and Choralis also will offer free concert tickets to many area high school choirs. Please visit the Education page of our website for more information about the HSSS program and how interested young singers can audition.