Who We Are
The Washington Master Chorale is a semiprofessional chorus in Washington, D.C., that seeks to advance American choral excellence by combining professional artistry with the beauty of the voice and the written word, and to contribute new American works to the choral canon by facilitating the creation of new high-caliber choral works. The Chorale holds itself to the highest standards of music-making by combining the efforts of professional singers with those of rigorously selected volunteers.
Founded in October 2009, the Washington Master Chorale is funded through ticket sales and grants, but primarily through your generous donations. To support the organization, please visit our donations page.
Learn more about our Artistic Director, Thomas Colohan, and about our Board of Directors.
What We Do
While there are many skilled choirs in the Washington, D.C. area, the Washington Master Chorale was founded to fill the gap between the large symphonic choirs (150+ voices) and the chamber choirs (24-40 voices). At over 60 voices strong, this chorus is able to explore repertoire not often heard in the region. The choir will present concerts in architecturally-significant settings that are historically and culturally linked to the repertoire on each program
Under the direction of Thomas Colohan, the Chorale focuses on both a cappella and accompanied 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century repertoire. In addition to the work of well-known European masters such as Poulenc, Britten, Bruckner, and Brahms, the group focuses on performing American choral music and significant contemporary choral compositions.
Why We Do It
The Chorale strives to increase public awareness and appreciation of choral music as art and to contribute to the choral canon by facilitating the creation of new works of the highest caliber. Most importantly, this choir is committed to sharing music that fulfills both the audience that finds solace and beauty in the sound and the singers who experience the gratification of belonging to a community of dedicated musicians.