The Houston Symphony Chorus, the official choral unit of the Houston Symphony, is led by Dr. Charles Hausmann. It is a chorus of volunteer singer-musicians who are committed to rehearsing and performing the choral-orchestral repertory at the highest level of choral artistry. In addition to presenting an annual schedule of concerts in Jones Hall with the Houston Symphony, the Chorus has toured Europe several times and performs regularly in Mexico City with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Mineriá.
The group, originally known as the Houston Chorale, was founded in 1946 by Alfred Urbach, then principal cellist of the Houston Symphony. The Chorale made its debut with the Houston Symphony in 1949 with a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. This inaugurated what was to be a lasting relationship, one that has produced hundreds of memorable performances of the great choral masterworks led by some of the world's leading conductors. In 1986, the Chorale was renamed the Houston Symphony Chorus.
The HSC Chorus Endowment
The
Houston Symphony Chorus has been an integral part of the Houston
Symphony's achievements for over 60 years. The Chorus is widely
acclaimed for its interpretations of the world's most beautiful choral
works and plays a vital role in the Symphony's international
reputation. The Chorus Endowment provides essential funding for
choral-enrichment activities.
The endowment was established in 1997 in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Chorus. Its primary mission is to enrich the choral life of the Houston Symphony Chorus and the Houston community, providing funding above normal operating support for projects that might not otherwise happen.
One of these projects was an a cappella CD, Voices of the Symphony.
This project, the first solo recording for the Chorus, played a role in
helping the Chorus to secure prestigious bookings for its 2007 European
tour.
In 2008, the Endowment helped fund a free performance of Mendelssohn’s oratorio, St Paul. In this concert, the Chorus and Symphony collaborated to fulfill their mutual artistic ambitions to enrich the chorus experience for singers and to inspire the Houston community by presenting a rarely-heard choral work.
With your support, the Chorus
Endowment will continue to build on this record in future years,
helping to make possibile exciting chorus projects that might
otherwise not happen.
If you would like to know more about the Chorus Endowment or about how to contribute, please contact Chorus Manager Susan Scarrow at chorus@sbcglobal.net or (713) 444-9221, or call the Houston Symphony Development Office at (713) 224-4240.