San Diego Master Chorale

San Diego County’s premier choral ensemble, featuring ~100 of the region's finest singers.

MISSION

We connect all people to the joy of professional-caliber, live choral music, and enrich lives by sharing what we have in common — our voice.

Communal singing uses the most personal and expressive of instruments—the human voice—to build a sense of shared purpose, belonging, and emotional release. During its 60th season (2021-2022), the San Diego Master Chorale renewed its commitment to improving local access to the therapeutic benefits of the choral art form. In Season 61 (2022-2023) we will strive to reach even more of the San Diego County community. 

PROGRAMS

Our MAJOR PARTNER CONCERTS unite us with the region's premier performing arts organizations, such as the San Diego Symphony Orchestra and the Mainly Mozart All-Star Orchestra. We serve as their choral arm in performances of great works of the choral repertoire. 

The SD Master Chorale presented Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra on May 27 and 28, to 6,597 audience members. Photo credit: Gary Payne

Although best known for our collaborations with major symphonic partners, our SELF-PRODUCED CONCERTS enable us to bring a diverse repertoire of choral music into San Diego County communities. For example, on May 21, 2022, the Chorale invited Los Angeles composer Shawn Kirchner to First Presbyterian Church of San Diego for a pre-talk before we presented his lovely Songs of Ascent. Photo credit: Paul McEneany

Some of our self-produced concerts, such as our annual HIGH SCHOOL HONOR CHOIR event, provide co-creation experiences with students. After a full-day choral workshop, students from throughout San Diego County and beyond present a free public concert with Chorale members.

Despite pandemic restrictions, the April 2021 High School Honor Choir event was held at Presidio Park, with high schools from each County Supervisorial district represented. Photo credits: Yan Yanez

Pre-pandemic, the Chorale also collaborated with Visual & Performing Arts program participants in San Diego County elementary schools, to provide co-creation experiences for younger students, such as these in a November 2019 concert in the San Marcos Unified School District. Photo credit: Julie Ann Sih

To increase our ability to connect more people to the joy of live, professional-caliber choral music, the SD Master Chorale will be hiring a full-time executive director this year. We are very grateful to The Conrad Prebys Foundation and a matching donor for funding most of this boost to our administrative capacity. We invite others to consider joining them to have a transformative impact on the Chorale's mission effectiveness, as we strive to best serve our community.