Boulder Chorale: Boulder’s Oldest and Largest Community Chorus
For more than 56 years, the Boulder Chorale has been a source of musical inspiration, education, and collaboration within the Boulder community. Our mission is to enrich and inspire a broad community through music.
HISTORY
In 1966, members of the chorus of the Boulder Civic Opera decided to become a separate entity, available to the Opera for performances but also rehearsing and performing independently. The group consisted of five sopranos, five altos, and three men. And that was the start.
The Boulder Chorale is intergenerational. More than 200 singers, ages 5 to over 80, perform in six ensembles at free concerts, high-profile community events, and traditional performances.
Boulder Concert Chorale
Dr. Vicki Burrichter, Concert Chorale Artistic Director
The Boulder Concert Chorale is an auditioned chorus of approximately 100 volunteer singers from seven counties. The Boulder Chorale performs a varied repertoire ranging from Renaissance polyphony, Baroque chamber music, and Classical masterworks to pieces in traditional styles such as African and bluegrass as well as works by contemporary composers, including new compositions and arrangements commissioned by the Chorale.
Boulder Chamber Chorale
Dr. Vicki Burrichter, Chamber Chorale Artistic Director
The Boulder Chamber Chorale is a select, small ensemble of some of the finest singers from within the Chorale. The group appears in Boulder Chorale concerts, performs separately, and presents outreach performances.
Boulder Children’s Chorale
Larisa Dreger an
d Nathan Wubbena, Co-Artistic Directors
Founded in 2009, the Boulder Children’s Chorale consists of four ensembles that serve singers from kindergarten through 9th grade. With a heavy emphasis on music education and building children’s individual talents, the Boulder Children’s Chorale exposes children to diverse, quality choral repertoire while building their abilities as musicians and a love for singing. The choirs of the Boulder Children’s Chorale frequently collaborate with professional musicians and ensembles, including CU Opera and the Boulder Philharmonic, and regularly appear in The Nutcracker at Macky Auditorium. Older students from our elite auditioned choirs, travel every two or three years to choir festivals in the United States.
Piccolini – Larisa Dreger, Director
Piccolini (“Little Ones”) is the entry-level, non-auditioned choir. Singing in unison, students learn the basics of healthy singing and participating in a choir. Kindergarten – 1st graders are welcome to join.
Prima Voce – Larisa Dreger, Director
Prima Voce (“First Voice”) is the non-auditioned choir for older singers new to the Boulder Children’s Chorale. Singers develop vocal skills through more challenging repertoire and exercises. Students receive instruction in basic music theory, learn to read music, and sing in two- and three-part harmony.
We welcome 2nd-4th graders to join Prima Voce.
Volante – Kimberly Dunninger, Director
Volante (“Soaring”) is a more advanced choir for students in 4th through 8th grades. Emphasis is placed on learning to sing in harmony and reading musical notation.
Bel Canto – Nathan Wubbena, Director
Bel Canto (“Beautiful Singing”) is the elite auditioned ensemble. Singers perform in two-, three-, and four-part harmony while working to develop strong musicianship and music theory skills. Bel Canto is the touring choir of the Boulder Children’s Chorale. This choir is for students in grades 6-9.