Events Calendar Sept. 26-27, 2009 Concert Version of La Boheme with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic & Opera Theatre of the Rockies, Pikes Peak Center November 21, 2009, 9AM-10PM Bookfair benefitting the Chorale Barnes & Noble, 1565 Briargate Blvd December 11, 2009 Deck the Hall, Pikes Peak Center December 12, 2009 Deck the Hall Benefit Concert, Cripple Creek January 5, 2010 Auditions by appointment February 21, 2010 25th Chefs' Gala & Silent Auction, Broadmoor West, Rocky Mtn Ballroom April 17, 2010 Choral Gold II, Pikes Peak Center May 11, 2010 Academy Band Spectacular! Pikes Peak Center Follow Us! About Us Colorado Springs Choral Society is the parent organization of the Colorado Springs Chorale. Founded in 1956, the Society’s purpose is to contribute to the cultural richness of the Pikes Peak Region while providing an artistically rewarding choral experience for talented singers. The Society is headed by a volunteer board of trustees consisting of 20 dedicated individuals responsible for image, policy and finances of the organization. Colorado Springs Choral Society Board of Trustees Our Mission Statement: To serve the Pikes Peak Region by celebrating the human voice in song and its power to rejoice, console, educate, enrich, unite, and inspire. Our History: Serving the Pikes Peak region with the best in choral music since 1956. The Colorado Springs Chorale is a 120 voice adult auditioned volunteer chorus. The Chorale celebrated its 50th Anniversary in our 2006-2007 Season. It is the oldest continuously performing community chorus in the State of Colorado. The Chorale has, in those 50 years, provided a wide variety of music to diverse audiences under a very broad spectrum of circumstances. These have ranged from concerts, either independently produced or under contract with Pikes Peak Region orchestras in major venues, and large regional events, to intimate performances at hospice and medical facilities. Although the Chorale has served the community in many ways, its unique niche, filled by no other area chorus, is the performance of great classical choral works, with full orchestra and noted soloists, in venues and with staging appropriate to their stature, ensuring the preservation of the heritage of these great works. The Chorale has twice been honored by the Pikes Peak Arts Council through its "PAPA's" Award for "Best Classical Performance by a Large Ensemble;" and also received additional nominations. Its annual Christmas "Pops" program, Deck the Hall, has been selected as "Best Way to Celebrate Christmas" by the Colorado Springs Gazette's "Go," and its annual fundraiser, Chefs' Gala, has received the "Go" Award as "Best Charity Benefit." The Gazette has also honored the Chorale for "Best Large Classical Concert." The Chorale's conductor, Donald P. Jenkins has been presented the Arts Council's "Lifetime Achievement Award." The Chorale began in 1956 under the direction of Walter Illian as the Symphony Chorus with the Colorado Springs Symphony. The 175-voice chorus made its debut in the performance of Messiah on December 9, 1956, under the baton of Symphony conductor Walter Eisenberg. In 1958 the organization was incorporated as the Colorado Springs Choral Society. Between 1958 and 1963 the Chorale gave 23 performances covering a broad spectrum of choral literature and in the process, established itself as a solid performing arts organization. David Porter became the conductor in 1963, and during the next four years, the Chorale's repertoire expanded to include musicals and featured guest artists such as Fred Waring. In 1967 Donald P. Jenkins became the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Chorale. Under his leadership the Chorale has developed from a community chorus of unscreened membership into an auditioned, well-balanced ensemble. Over its 50 year history the Chorale has been a significant part of the region's most memorable events. A brief summary includes: • The America the Beautiful Centennial Celebration • Memorial Park 4th of July Celebrations • Opening of the Pikes Peak Center, with Roberta Peters and the Symphony • Garden of the Gods Easter Sunrise Services, including televised services on four local and twenty intermountain network stations • International Ice Show and Opening of the International Hockey Tournament at the Broadmoor Ice Arena • Colorado College 125th Anniversary • The Freedom Train ('76) • Opening Ceremonies of the National Sports Festival V at the Air Force Academy Stadium • Bob Hope Christmas Special Broadcast • Radio Broadcasts of Thanksgiving and Christmas performances at Shove Chapel, the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and "Busy Corner" • White House Colorado Millennium Tree Ceremony at the steps of the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum • Fallen Firefighter's Memorial (annually, Mosaic) • Post 9/11 Fallen Firefighter's Memorial • Opening of the renovated Pikes Peak Center, (classical series) • The Zebulon Pike Bi-Centennial ceremonies, sunrise atop Pikes Peak, noon media simulcast, Pike statue dedication, and time capsule opening. In recent years the Chorale has performed Handel’s Messiah, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, Mozart’s Mass in C minor, Verdi’s Requiem, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the Colorado Springs Symphony. It has staged its own productions of Brahms’ German Requiem, Haydn’s The Creation, Handel’s Israel in Egypt, and Mozart and More with full orchestra. It celebrated its 50th Anniversary with an enormously successful concert, Choral Gold, presenting best-loved choral pieces from cathedral, concert hall, opera, and Broadway, and produced its first CD as an outcome of the performance. The Chorale sang Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony as the inaugural event of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. Further appearances with the Philharmonic include: A Classical Christmas; Orff’s Carmina Burana; Mozart’s Requiem, Verdi’s Requiem, and Beethoven’s Missa solemnis. A notable collaboration was a performance with the Colorado Springs Children’s Chorale and the Colorado Vocal Arts Ensemble, Voices. “Pops” concerts include what has become a regional Christmas tradition, Deck the Hall; and the Academy Band Spectacular! series with the United States Air Force Academy Concert Band, a highlight of the annual Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce week-long salute to the military. The 2008 concert, Summon the Heroes, was recorded live and was recently broadcast on regional affiliates of PBS and major network television stations in 177 countries to 54 million viewers. The Colorado Springs Choral Society is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization supported by ticket sales, contributions from individuals, businesses and foundations, and earned income. The Society maintains memberships in Chorus America, Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Colorado Springs Nonprofit Center. Our Staff Artistic Staff Donald P. Jenkins, Artistic Director & Conductor is Professor Emeritus of Music at Colorado College. He received a B. A. Degree from Oberlin College and a B.M.E. Degree from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in 1958 and an M.A. Degree in Choral Conducting from the Juilliard School of Music in 1960. In September of that year he was engaged by Colorado College to direct its College Choir, Chamber Chorus, and Chapel Choir; direct the Opera Workshop; teach singing, and eventually to teach courses in Introduction to Music, American Music, Great Choral Works, and Conducting. During those years he led the Colorado College Choir on extensive national concert tours. He became Professor Emeritus of Music in 1999. He was co-founder and General Director of the Colorado Opera Festival for 30 years, presenting more than 100 full operatic productions with orchestra, employing distinguished national artists performing at Colorado College and at Pikes Peak Center. He became Conductor of the Colorado Springs Chorale in 1967 and remains in that position currently. Mr. Jenkins has guest conducted or stage directed for Colorado Opera Troupe (Denver), Opera Theatre of the Rockies, and Denver's Classic Chorale. He continues to serve as a judge for the Metropolitan Opera Auditions in seven western states. Daniel S. Brink, Assistant Conductor & Principal Accompanist has been with the Chorale since 1985 and was appointed Assistant Conductor in 1997. He was director/conductor of the Chorale's small ensemble, MOSAIC, from its inception in 1990 until its recent "retirement." He served on the artistic staff of the Colorado Opera Festival from 1984 until its closure in 2000 and is currently Principal Coach/Accompanist for Opera Theatre of the Rockies. Mr. Brink has been a member of the music faculty at Colorado College since 1987, serving as the conductor of the CC Chamber Orchestra and the CC Collegium Musicum. He also serves on the faculty of the Vocal Arts Symposium, a part of the Colorado College Summer Session. Dan is well known in the Pikes Peak Region as a collaborative artist, teacher, arranger, conductor, and adjudicator. He has written arrangements for the Chorale, the Colorado Vocal Arts Ensemble, and the Colorado Springs Symphony, as well as for a variety of small ensembles in the area. He received his Master of Music degree in piano accompanying and chamber music from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Administrative Staff Mark Dempsey, Executive Director combines his business and nonprofit managerial experience with a background in choral singing. He holds an MBA from Indiana University. A former Air Force personnel officer, he has also been the Senior Vice President of a local small business (MasterDrive) and the Director of Development and Public Relations for Catholic Charities of Colorado Springs. He is a lifelong choral singer, having performed with the Berkshire Choral Festival, the Soli Deo Gloria Chorus (15 years), the Chorale, and church choirs internationally. Mark has also served on the Board of Amateur Pianists International (API), is currently on the Leadership Council of the Kennedy Center Imagination Celebration, and is a founding Board Member of the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region (COPPeR). Jacquelyn Foorman, Administrative Assistant has been with the Chorale for twenty years, and has been coordinating Chefs' Gala since 1995. A singer at heart, she performs with the Chorale when time permits. Jackie has been a featured soloist with The Colorado College Choir, Colorado Opera Festival, Colorado Springs Chorale, Colorado Springs Symphony Chamber Orchestra, Opera Theatre of the Rockies, Soli Deo Gloria, Taylor Memorial Choir, UCCS Choir and others. She enjoys spending time in Cascade with her husband, Bill, and the last of her four sons remaining at home, Benjamin. The drawing for a pair of Choral Gold II tickets will be March 26, 2010.