The South Hadley Chorale was founded in 1984 as the South Hadley Community Chorus to celebrate Bach’s 200th anniversary. Under the direction of the founder, Dr. Barbara Conant, Bach’s Mass in B minor was performed in the inaugural year. We now rehearse each year starting in October and, in March, perform a major choral work with orchestra. Our members are drawn from South Hadley, Massachusetts and many surrounding communities.
We welcome Alexandra Ludwig as director of our 2009-2010 season. Currently Assistant Professor at Springfield College, she is active in the area as both an orchestral and choral conductor.
We continue to welcome new men and women. This season’s concert is a celebration of our 25th anniversary and will include the piece which concluded our first concert: Bach’s Dona Nobis Pacem from the Mass in B minor. We will also sing two pieces by Brahms, Haydn’s Te Deum and the Gloria movement of John Rutter’s Mass of the Children with the South Hadley Children’s Chorus, performed with orchestra and soloists.
Over the years we have performed a variety of major choral works by Bach, Beethoven, Bizet, Brahms, Bruckner, Dvorak, Handel, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Rutter, Schubert and Vivaldi.
The South Hadley Children’s Chorus takes part in our March concert along with appearances in six public concerts throughout the year.
