History

The mission of Chorus Austin is to "build community through vocal music" by:

 

History and Membership

The Austin Civic Chorus was founded in 1965 with 32 member-singers and today has up to 140 members.  All singers are selected by individual audition and have substantial choral experience.  Each devotes and annual average of 150 volunteer hours to rehearsals, performances, participation in charitable and civic gatherings, and service on one of the Chorus’ working committees that carry out much of its operational work.  Chorus members represent ages from high school graduate to retirement, many ethnicities, and a broad range of vocations.

 The Austin Civic Chorus has been seen on the stages of Carnegie Hall, Bass Concert Hall, and the Dell Hall at the Long Center of the Performing Arts. ACC has also performed as part of the Georgetown Festival of the Arts on numerous occasions. The ensemble won a 2003 Critics Table Choice Award for Best Choral Performance, “The Mighty Russians.” In 2006, the men of Chorus Austin joined with the Austin Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Shostakovich’s “Babi Yar,” and the performance was awarded the Austin Critics Table Choice Award for “Best Symphonic Performance.”


 The Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble was founded as the Austin Handel-Haydn Society in the summer of 1985 by University of Texas music students and was created to explore chamber choir repertoire and expand chamber-singing opportunities.  The accomplished ensemble now presents a full subscription season of concerts featuring Central Texas' finest choral musicians, delighting concert-goers and critics alike.

The Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble was featured in concert at the Texas Choral Director's Convention in San Antonio, Texas in July of 2005 and received rave reviews on their performance. AVAE has also performed with the Austin Symphony, Ballet Austin, and as part of the Georgetown Festival of the Arts. AVAE presented a concert at the International Festival Institute at Round Top in 2002, and will return as part of the first Choral Festival hosted by the Institute in fall 2008.


 The Chorus Austin Consort is a smaller ensemble made up of members from both the Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble and the Austin Civic Chorus. Consort is available to perform at a variety of public and private events. The group regularly performs for public relations purposes, and has been seen on Fox 7’s Music in the Morning, performing at charity fundraisers, and even the national anthem at a Round Rock Express game. The group can be as small as 4 and as large as 24, depending on the needs of the performance, and presents a cappella repertoire from a variety of styles, genres, and time periods. To hire or book Consort for an event, please contact the Chorus Austin business office.

In 1999, the Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble joined forces with the Austin Civic Chorus to form the nonprofit umbrella organization Chorus Austin. Chorus Austin manages the day-to-day operations of all ensembles, including Consort, as well as produces their concerts, community outreach programs, and other various functions of the ensembles.