Mission
The Arts District Chorale celebrates choral excellence and seeks to heighten the awareness of vocal ensemble music in North Texas; through performances, outreach, and organizational partnerships. A vibrant community of auditioned singers from the DFW area, the Arts District Chorale challenges its musicians to reach the highest level of artistic quality through a broad and ever-changing repertoire.
History
When a group of trained singers performs for a live audience, a transformative energy flows between singers and listeners. Singers’ heart rates begin to beat in unison. Listeners experience waves of emotion and, sometimes, goosebumps. Vocalists instinctively know that singing is a positive experience. But audiences can be surprised by a sudden sense of community and shared pleasure in the presence of a flash mob. It’s no wonder that the only musical form that uses the human body as an instrument is such a physically affecting sound.
At Arts District Chorale, we know this. We have seen and experienced this transformation for more than 30 years. The vision of founding Artistic Director Michie Akin, whose professional ties were then with the downtown Cathedral Guadalupe, aligned with timing of a developing Dallas Arts District. He gathered singers into a choir that eventually evolved into the Arts District Chorale (ADC). With its genesis and performance venues in the Dallas Arts District, ADC formally became a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization in 2004.
Today, we are a volunteer ensemble of up to 50 auditioned vocalists, including professional performers, music instructors, choral conductors, and classically trained singers. Our performance venues have ranged from the Margaret and Trammell Crow Collection of Asian Art, Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas Museum of Art, Winspear Opera House, Moody Performance Hall, Waxahachie Chautauqua, and all variety of religious spaces from protestant churches to Temple Emanu-El.
In addition to classical masterworks, we perform music from Broadway, the American songbook, and pop standards. Diversifying our concert venues and repertoire allows us to reach broader audiences.
We also share our talents with economically disadvantaged children through the ADC Apprentice Program in partnership with St. Paul United Methodist Church. The program offers private vocal instruction and mentorship to prepare students to successfully audition for the Booker T. Washington School for the Performing and Visual Arts. ADC volunteers also give their time to the ArtsVision Summer Camp, helping train students to stage a musical at the end of the camp.
Although ADC members produce a professional sound, we are not paid to sing. We sing for love. In fact, we pay dues to cover music and venue costs and the artistic director’s salary. We come together to prepare and present four seasonal concerts. Each time, we experience the magnetic bond that links us to each other and our listeners. The generosity of donors like you will secure our future. But no matter what, we will continue as long as we have a voice. For us, the motivation is certain. How can we keep from singing?
