Washington Voices: Songs of the Season

The Alexandria Harmonizers is a men’s a cappella four-part close-harmony choir which has been performing around the world since 1948. Artistic Director Joe Cerutti, Jr. leads over 100 volunteer singers ranging from teens to eighties.

The Alfred Street Baptist Church Music Ministry Choir is a chorus based in Alexandria, Virginia. The church was founded in the early 1800s, making it one of the first Black churches in the D.C. area. 

The Cathedral Choral Society, founded at the beginning of World War II, is the oldest symphonic choral group in D.C. and holds residency at Washington National Cathedral. Their current director, Steven Fox, continues the legacy of the great J. Reilly Lewis, leading the 130-voice chorus in concerts nationwide. 

The Bel Canto Chorus and the Concert Chorus are two of the Children’s Chorus of Washington’s six ensembles including children ages 8-18. Artistic Director Margaret Nomura Clark tours the chorus around the world, while providing her students with exemplary foundations in music theory. 

Choralis is a 110-person mixed-voice professional chorus directed by Gretchen Kuhrmann in Falls Church, Virginia. In addition to their classical choral repertoire, the ensemble also performs a unique variety of compositions by living composers worldwide.

Eastern Senior High School’s choir has appeared at the White House, the Kennedy Center and on national television. Led to international acclaim by beloved music director Dr. Joyce Garrett, Dr. Garrett continues to conduct alumni of the choir. 

The Encore Chorale, based in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area, with chapters across the U.S., offers choral programs to adults over the age of 55. The group is dedicated to promoting inclusivity and accessibility in the performing arts.

The Fairfax Choral Society Vocal Arts Ensemble is an adult choir of 120 singers directed by Michael Ehrlich. In addition to traditional choral repertoire, the ensemble performs American folk, vocal jazz, and Broadway music.

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. is the capital’s only LGBTQ+ chorus, with over 250 singers and five ensembles. For 40 years the chorus has held a vision for a more inclusive future and has inspired other Gay Men’s choruses across the country. 

Patrick Lundy & The Ministers Of Music is based out of the Ebenezer AME Church in Fort Washington, Maryland. Led by founder-director Patrick P. Lundy, the choir has performed alongside gospel icons such as B.B. King, Lyle Lovett, and Roberta Flack.  

The Reid Temple Choir, based in Glenn Dale, Maryland, is a gospel choir directed by Patrick Lundy and strives to construct an inclusive environment for worship. 

The Choral Arts Society of Washington, founded in 1965, is a chorus which sees music as an antidote to our frenzied world. Their symphonic chorus of 160 voices performs as one in an effort to bring harmony to the D.C. area.

The Thirteen, founded in 2012, is an ensemble of all-star professionals. Director Matthew Robertson leads the thirteen-person choir which earned the Greater Washington DC Area Choral Excellence “Ovation” Award for Most Creative Programming.

The Washington Men’s Camerata, directed by Frank Albinder, is a men’s chorus performing a traditional repertoire founded in 1984. The University of Virginia’s Virginia Glee Club, founded in 1871, performs regularly in Washington, DC area where there are over 40,000 UVA alumni. 

Washington Performing Arts's resident gospel choirs, Men and Women of the Gospel (MWOTG) and Children of the Gospel (COTG), have performed throughout the Washington, D.C. region for more than 25 years. With members ranging from 9 to 70+ years, the choirs nurture both aspiring and experienced vocalists while representing both the heritage and future of gospel music.

Zemer Chai, founded in 1976, is one of the nation’s leading Jewish choirs, performing a full range of Jewish choral repertoire as well as new works composed especially for Zemer Chai. Their founder and director, Eleanor Epstein, has led the ensemble in high-profile performances from the White House to Jerusalem.