About CONCORA/Connecticut Choral Artists, Inc.

Founded in 1974 by its Conductor and Artistic Director, Richard Coffey, CONCORA presents its thirtieth anniversary season in 2004-2005. CONCORA’s mission, “to perpetuate and perform with excellence choral music of the highest quality for the broadest possible audience,” represents a commitment to the Connecticut community, a commitment to artistic excellence, masterful performances, and educational enrichment – enhancing the lives of generations.

CONCORA holds a unique place in the arts community as Connecticut ’s premier professional choir. Over its thirty-year history, the chorus has grown to its present roster of sixty singers and has built an extraordinary reputation for artistic excellence throughout New England . CONCORA is the recipient of the 2003 Governor’s Arts Award, presented by Governor John G. Rowland in recognition of remarkable artistic achievement and contributions to the arts in Connecticut .

Versatility
The ensemble’s versatility is demonstrated in its wide range of repertoire from the great choral masterpieces to newly commissioned compositions, including arrangements of folk music, spirituals and popular music. The size of the performing group varies with the repertoire. The CONCORA Consort of Voices is a small a cappella ensemble specializing in music of the last one hundred years. Our series is performed in the Greater Hartford region, and all of our programs are administered from our New Britain office. We vary our performing sites to best suit the music being performed and to accommodate the broadest possible audience – an important aspect of our mission. Frequent collaborations with other performing organizations, such as symphony orchestras, and invitations to perform in out-of-town venues and at cultural events augment our schedule year- round.

Meeting the Challenge
CONCORA is meeting the challenge of developing present and future audiences through its educational and participatory programming, which reaches people of all ages. CONCORA’s educational outreach is comprised of two highly successful programs. For elementary school children, CONCORA-to-Go, a quartet of CONCORA singers, presents an interactive, multicultural program, “Around the World in Music,” in area elementary schools and public libraries. CONCORA extends special invitations to other choruses, especially children’s, high school and college choruses, as a regular part of its concert programming. The summer festival workshop offers adult singers from the community and select high school and college singers an opportunity to join with CONCORA in rehearsing and performing great choral works.

CONCORA is also proud to enrich the cultural life of the region by sponsoring concerts by exceptional visiting choirs, including recent performances by the National Youth Choir of Namibia and the China Children’s Choir of Beijing. Choral music has the power to cross cultural boundaries and to move hearts, and CONCORA’s mission to reach a broad and diverse audience extends not only to the choral aficionado, but also to those who may be touched by the beauty of choral art for the first time.

Appearances
The ensemble has appeared often with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, including the inaugural gala of Music Director Edward Cumming. This season we continue our Bach collaboration with the HSO, first joining forces with the Hartford Chorale in the beloved Christmas Oratorio in the Belding Theater of the Bushnell. In the spring CONCORA and the Hartford Symphony will perform a program of jubilant cantatas and one motet in the Immanuel Congregational Church. CONCORA has also performed on many occasions with Orchestra New England, and together recorded The Six Motets of J.S. Bach. CONCORA served as the resident chorus of the esteemed Bard Festival with the American Symphony Orchestra, Leon Botstein, Director. The chorus has enjoyed concert performances with Bobby McFerrin, Chanticleer, the Gregg Smith Singers, and John Rutter’s Cambridge Singers.

CONCORA made its New York debut in 1998 with A 75th Birthday Tribute to Ned Rorem, who called CONCORA “the finest chorus in America .” CONCORA’s recording of Rorem’s choral works received national acclaim in The Choral Journal. CONCORA has performed widely in New England , including national and regional conventions of American Guild of Organists. In addition, there have been frequent appearances at the Wadsworth Atheneum and the New Britain Museum of American Art, First Night Hartford, and Aetna First Thursdays sponsored by the Greater Hartford Arts Council.