Columbia Chorale

History

Columbia Chorale located in Columbia Missouri is a 60 plus men and women's mixed voice classical community choir that performs 6 or more concerts per season. It has existed in one form or another since 1978. Its mission is to promote choral music of the highest artistic quality and to stimulate a greater community understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of choral music by presenting rich, vital, varied musical programs that appeal to a wide cross-section of Columbia residents. Columbia Chorale partners with community arts organizations such as the Columbia Civic Orchestra, the 9th St. Philharmonic Orchestra, and professional guest soloists. The majority of the concerts are performed at the Missouri United Methodist church Concert Series but the chorale also performs in Jesse Hall as part of the University of Missouri-Columbia Concert Series and at the Missouri Theater Center for the Arts. It has an annual Messiah Sing Along and on several occasions it has performed at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City and the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, located at the Churchill Memorial on the Westminster College Campus in Fulton Missouri.

Since, 2003, it has been under the direction of Italian-Brazilian Artistic Director Alex Innecco Alex Innecco who holds degrees in voice and choral conducting from Indiana University and the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Columbia Chorale was founded in June 1978 as the Ad Hoc Singers by Christine Leonard Cox. In September 1979, the organization split into two choral groups: the “Chorale Ensemble” of approximately 30 singers, and the “Ad Hoc Singers,” about 15 in number. In September 1981, the name of the organization official changed to Columbia Chorale Ensembles, Inc. Ad Hoc Swingers, a local jazz ensemble, was added for one season. Acting Director, David Benz, consolidated the singers into one group, the Columbia Choral Ensemble, in January 1984. Dr. David Taylor was named Director of the group later that year and served as Director until August 1987 when Martin Hook became Director. In 1989, Glenna Betts Johnson joined the group as accompanist. In January 1991 Dr. R. Paul Drummond became Director and was succeeded by Fred Kaiser in 2002. The following year 2003, Alex Innecco became the current Director.

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Community arts organizations

• [1] - Columbia Civic Orchestra
• [2] - 9th St. Philharmonic Orchestra
• [3] - Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts

References

• [4] 89.5 FM KOPN's Reel-to-Reel Reformatting Project:Spring Into the Arts June Concert Series 2007. THE AD HOC SINGERS AT THE 1ST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, COLUMBIA, MO 1979 25:38.
• http://whmc.umsystem.edu/invent/desc-cult.html - Western Historical Manuscripts Culture Collection, Columbia Chorale, Columbia, Missouri, Records, (WUNP6201)

6 linear feet, 54 audio cassettes, 10 audio tapes, 10 CDs, 4 c.d. Records of an independent, mixed ensemble dedicated to performing choral music. Founded as the Ad Hoc Singers in June 1978.

• December 2007 - [5] Sounds of a Missouri Christmas. by Katherine Heine. Rural Missouri.
• February 9, 2007 — [6] Symphony Titan to make its debut - By Taryn B. Wood. Columbia Missourian, Feb. 9, 2007.
• December 7, 2006 — [7] Solo auction over, roles set for Messiah - BY SYDNEY STONNER. Columbia Missourian, Dec. 7, 2006.
• December 2, 2006 — [8] Lift Up Your Voice - By MARY T. NGUYEN. Columbia Daily Tribune. Saturday, December 2, 2006
• November 17, 2006 — [9] Singing Roles in Messiah for sale on eBay - By SYDNEY STONNER. Columbia Missourian. Nov. 17, 2006.
• March 16, 2006 — [10] Columbia Chorale brings Verdi opera to life - By Seth Ashley. Columbia Daily Tribune. March 16, 2006
• February 26, 2006 — [11] Triad of Talent. By Seth Ashley. Columbia Daily Tribune. February 26, 2006.
• December 8, 2005 — [12] The 'Messiah' is coming. By Seth Ashley. Columbia Daily Tribune. December 8, 2005.
• September 10, 2010 - [13] First MOUMC series concert to benefit Mo. Theatre. By Aarik Danielsen and Lynn Israel. Columbia Daily Tribune Art Axis Blog.
• May 1, 2010 - [14] War and Peace in Concert. Columbia Daily Tribune Calendar Section 2010.
• March 13, 2010 - [15] Opera Showdown. Columbia Daily Tribune Calendar Section 2010.
• [16] Missouri Theater Center for the Arts Member Organizations Columbia Chorale.
• [17] By Aarik Danielsen. Classical Awakenings Alex Innecco imbues new MUMC concert season with sizzle, style and sublimity. Sunday, September 19, 2010. Columbia Daily Tribune.
• [18] August 16, 2010: The future of classical music. Intersection broadcast. KBIA and RJI Institute. Panelists: Alex Innecco, music director at Missouri United Methodist Church, director of the Columbia Chorale, and co-director of Carpe Diem. Robert Shay, director of the MU School of Music
• [19] Thinking Out Loud: Arts on Friday by KBIA Arts. Podcast Arts on Friday: The Columbia Chorale's Alex Innecco. 4/30/10.
• [20] The G. Ross Roy Collection of Robert Burns: an illustrated catalogue By Elizabeth A. Sudduth, George Ross Roy, Clayton Tarr, University of South Carolina Press; annotated edition. 2009. Pg. 338 Columbia Chorale Ensemble (Columbia, Mo.).

External links

• Official site

Events past and present

• 2010-2011 Season Columbia Chorale Events page
• 2009-2010 Season Columbia Chorale Events page