The Concord Chorus traces its origin to a summer 1945 performance of selections from Johannes Brahms’ German Requiem by the combined choirs of Concord’s churches at the invitation of Perry Daniels, the minister of First Parish Unitarian Church. The performance engendered so much enthusiasm that Nancy Loring (the conductor for this occasion), Katherine K. Davis (composer of The Little Drummer Boy and the first Chair of the Chorus), and Mrs. D. Ripley Gage of Concord formed a committee to organize the Concord Chorus. At its first meeting in the fall of 1945, nearly 125 women and men rehearsed the German Requiem in its entirety from 50 scores that were rounded up for the event. The Chorus’ first official concert on May 28, 1946, at Veterans Hall (now 51 Walden) featured the German Requiem with piano accompaniment as a memorial to those lost in World War II. Ever since then, the Concord Chorus has been a permanent part of the artistic world of Concord. 

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Handmade poster for the first concert of the Concord Chorus, May 28, 1946

 | Courtesy of Alan Proctor

Today, our 80+ members are drawn from Concord and many surrounding towns. Our mission remains to present high quality performances of works from diverse periods and to foster the musicianship of our members. The love of music and community provides the core upon which the Chorus has built, and sustained, a vibrant experience for both singers and audiences. 

With roots firmly in Concord, the Chorus rehearses weekly at Trinity Episcopal Church and performs regularly at Middlesex School’s Memorial Chapel, Lexington’s Cary Hall, St. Camillus Church in Arlington, and St. Brigid Church in Lexington. The Chorus has also performed at Symphony Hall in Boston, Sanders Theater in Cambridge, Regis College, and many other area venues. Our repertoire, in addition to many of the major choral works of the last three centuries, has included commissioned works by Randall Thompson, Richard Cornell, Arlene Zallman, and Michael Schachter. A highlight of our 50th anniversary season in 1996 was the performance of “Quiet as the Moon,” “Circles,” and “The Wheel,” commissioned works by Dave Brubeck. The Chorus has a proud history of musical accomplishment, unbroken except for the intrusion of the COVID-19 virus, which caused the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 seasons. To sustain its love of music and community during the pandemic, the Chorus met weekly online, and produced a remarkable 75th anniversary video, “The Concord Chorus at 75,” which may be found on YouTube.

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The Concord Chorus is celebrating its 80th anniversary season with a concert on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 3:00 pm at Cary Hall in Lexington, MA. The Chorus will again perform the entire German Requiem, an enduring masterpiece. On this occasion, the Chorus will collaborate with the Masterworks Chorale and the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston, with professional soloists Carley DeFranco (soprano) and Dana Whiteside (baritone). The Chorus has also commissioned and will present the premiere performance of Jonathan Bailey Holland’s The Nature of Lost Time. These two works will be performed under the direction of Dr. Kevin Leong, music director of both the Concord Chorus and Masterworks Chorale.

For more information about the Concord Chorus, and to purchase tickets for the 80th anniversary concert, please visit ConcordChorus.org.

*This article made possible by the Concord Chorus.