Latest Community Posts

Shara Nova’s choral music will draw in an audience and sustain their attention to the very last note. How does she do it? With invention, creativity, vocal orchestration, sharp attentiveness to timbral color, emotional intensity, and a delicious dash of dissonance, when appropriate. She keeps you on your toes; you know the journey you are on […]

Announcing the New Jersey Performing Arts Center Celebrating Christmas with Renowned All-Male Vocal Ensemble CHANTICLEER, Dec 6   NJPACOne Center StreetNewark, New Jersey 07102www.njpac.org Sat 12.06 @ 3:00 p.m. A CHANTICLEER CHRISTMAS “The world’s reigning male chorus.” – The New Yorker Hailed for its “precise, pure and deeply felt singing (The New York Times),” the multiple Grammy […]

Conducting Internship The Zamir Chorale of Boston America’s foremost Jewish choral ensemble The Conducting Internship was established in September, 2000 to train conductors in the area of Jewish choral music. The American Record Guide has designated Zamir “America’s foremost Jewish choral ensemble.” The intern • Is engaged in a study of Jewish choral repertoire and […]

In Episode 19 of The Choral Director’s Toolbox, host Dr. William Baker unpacks the controversy surrounding Austrian or Germanic Latin in Classical Period choral performance.  With his signature clarity and wit, Dr. Baker challenges conventional assumptions and offers practical insight on pronunciation for clarity and expression.  This week’s listener question addresses ideal seating –or no seating at […]

Graphite welcomes Gerald Cohen! Cohen brings a great kit of skills to his choral music workbench. He’s a singer, composer, cantor, and educator. On a personal level, he brings a Jewish cultural perspective and value to his musical art. In his choral works, he endeavors to balance craft, emotion, melody, and melodic development. He connects […]

https://www.ChoralFoundation.org/toolbox In Episode 18 of The Choral Director’s Toolbox, host Dr. William Baker shares practical insights on “Commissioning New Music,” drawing from decades of experience premiering choral works.  From contracts and premiere logistics, this episode is a must-listen for conductors considering the rewarding adventures of new music creation.  This week’s listener question invites Dr. Baker’s recommended […]

“One By One” by Sandy Sherman and Randall Rumage is a moving environmental song with a beautiful SATB/piano arrangement. It focuses on a call to action to treasure the earth and it reminds us all to make a difference …. one by one. It is suitable for choirs from high school level upwards. Duration: 4:10 […]

In January of this year The William Baker Choral Foundation launched a weekly podcast called The Choral Director’s Toolbox.  The program is a 15-20 podcast available each Monday, 8:00 eastern/7:00 central hosted by Dr. William Baker, head of the Choral Foundation.  Each episode includes Today’s Topic, a short instructional message; Today’s Question, where Dr. Baker answers an […]

Our choir is celebrating its 60th anniversary next year, and we’re beginning our search for repertoire. We need suggestions for pieces for choir and orchestra and/or string/wind ensemble that are relatively easy for our members to learn (about 80% don’t read music), ideally by a contemporary composer, and something that will easily connect with our […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New York, NY– April 22, 2025 — The Young New Yorkers’ Chorus (YNYC), esteemed choral nonprofit and leading advocate for new choral music, has renamed its long-running annual competition for emerging composers as The Daniel Thompson Memorial Competition for Young Composers. This renaming honors YNYC’s late Board President Daniel Thompson and is […]