The Longmont Chorale

Background Statement

History of the Longmont Chorale

As Easter was approaching in 1936, a group of music loving Longmont citizens formed a group to perform Handel's Messiah, which planted the seed for the formation of the Longmont Chorale. As the Chorale grew larger, the range of music they were able to offer to the community expanded to include such diverse works as Guys and Dolls, Carmina Burana, and the Mozart Requiem.

Concerts were free in the early years with baskets passed for free-will donations. Today the Longmont Chorale has grown into a non-profit organization requiring a Board of Directors, with fund-raising activities to support its operation. Many artistic directors and accompanists have contributed to the growth of the Longmont Chorale throughout the years, bringing music from around the world to our community

Executive Director Statement

We do not have an Executive Director.

Board Chair/President Statement

My name is Ron Wormke and I am a member of and President of the Longmont Chorale.

I have found the Longmont Chorale to be a wonderful organization to belong to and sing in.
It is quite wonderful to rehearse and perform within the framework of the Chorale's extremely gifted and competent Artistic Director, Assistant Director and Accompanist. It is quite rewarding to learn and perform the enlightening types and forms of music that taxes our ability to absorb the essence of the moment the composers have so skillfully created.

It is very rewarding for me as President of the Longmont Chorale to note the joy and fulfillment of the musical experiences of our Chorale Members and the members of our audience. Perhaps the most pleasing and rewarding of all these experiences is the opportunity to perform major musical selections with the Longmont Symphony Orchestra. It is those types of experiences that live forever in the lives of our musical membership and performance audiences.

Finally, I am quite proud as a member of the Chorale to be able to travel with the Chorale on a two-week vocal tour of Ireland, Scotland and England in June of 2013. What better way to represent our state, our community and our chorale than to become musical ambassadors, traveling aboard and performing music to others, as Haydn stated: "Music is the universal language of the world". So true.

All This takes money. We have many projects such as Chorale Singers, small groups such as Heartland and the Sugar Beats that perform at functions aside from the Chorale. We also sponsor a "Youth Vocal Competition" and make it a point to seek local musical artists to perform with us at our various concerts. With major goals centering on Outreach we seek the financial support of the community in which we live, work and perform. Our object being reaching out to those who seek higher levels of musical experiences, inviting them to become a part of the Chorale and the return being: Giving back to the community quality musical performances that energize the very souls and spirits of our community of musicians.

Impact Statement

Top 2012-2013 accomplishments:
1. Ensemble outreach groups performed 15 community-based performances.
2. Longmont Chorale is a member of the Chamber of Commerce.
3. Performed three major concerts and held two concerts in preparation for the International Tour.
4. Maintained a consistent group of high school and adult singers averaging over 100 singers per concert
5. Assessed audience responses to each concert to assist with future program offerings.
6. Commissioned a work by a local composer to celebrate the Chorale's Silver Anniversary.
7. International tour of the British Isles

Top 2013-2014 planned accomplishments:
1. Ensemble outreach groups to perform community-based performances.
2. Provide reciprocal program advertising for the Symphony Orchestra.
3. Perform joint concert with Longmont Symphony.
4. Explore development of a common community arts pass.
5. Hold Youth Vocal Competition in 1st quarter 2014 where participants are judged by three independent vocal judges. The winner of each category will be invited to perform in our May Pops concert.

Needs Statement

Our Top 5 Needs:
1. Guild member volunteers to help with fund-raising and community outreach.
2. Money to cover Youth Vocal Competition involving judges' fees and venue costs.
3. Community Board members to help lessen current singer Board members responsibilities.
4. Money to cover concert venue costs
5. Money to cover guest artist fees

Testimonial #1: June 2011, we packed up everything and left our lives behind in Iowa, including dear friends and many arts activities that we greatly enjoyed. For the first time in 43 years, we were going to live in a non-University town. We'd been spoiled with access to the world's best plays, concerts, arts festivals, authors, and artists. We were concerned about losing this important part of our lives, but we could not have been more wrong.

When we heard about the Chorale, we went to the Christmas Concert to see what it was all about. And, we were stunned with the quality of this community group and decided to join. It turns out, not only are we able to observe the arts, we are now able to participate.

We have not sung in years, but we were warmly welcomed from the first moment we walked in. Not only that, but we have received guidance and encouragement from members ever since. There clearly is a tradition of inclusion. We sing with high school kids and senior citizens, couples, singles, business people, working people, all kinds of people. It has made us part of this community. We have some mobility issues but have been accommodated and encouraged in every way.

It is difficult to explain how a non-audition group can create such an outstanding sound, can master challenging music, and can attract top-notch conductors. Even more amazing is maintaining this commitment for three-quarters of a century. Citizens of Longmont and adjoining communities have access to excellent choral performance.

Beyond the musical enjoyment and the camaraderie, we find there are great personal benefits to singing with a group that has high expectations and challenges us with difficult and varied music. We both have noticed our focus is better, our concentration extended, our stamina increased. Our vocal strength and control are improving. We have a sense of creating something beautiful.

In so many ways, singing in the Longmont Chorale has expedited and solidified our sense of belonging in this community. We are proud to be members.

Testimonial #2: It is difficult to explain how a non-audition group can create such an outstanding sound, can master challenging music, and can attract top-notch conductors. Even more amazing is maintaining this commitment for three-quarters of a century. Citizens of Longmont and adjoining communities have access to excellent choral performance