Choralart

ChoralArt (formerly The Choral Art Society) was founded in 1972 when a group of singers invited Dr. Harold Brown, newly appointed Professor of Music at the University of Southern Maine, to become their conductor. The original ensemble, ChoralArt Singers, was formed through auditions, bringing together musicians united by a shared commitment to choral excellence. Following Dr. Brown’s retirement in 1979, Dr. Robert Russell was appointed Music Director. That same year, strong interest from the choral community led to significant growth: after a large round of auditions, the ensemble expanded from 36 to 50 singers. ChoralArt’s collaboration with the Portland Symphony Orchestra began in 1983 when the chorus made its ChoralArt Masterworks debut in a performance of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana . In the mid-1990s, ChoralArt expanded its artistic vision with the creation of a chamber ensemble.