Nashville Symphony Chorus

About

The Nashville Symphony Chorus is dedicated to enriching the Middle Tennessee community through high-quality performances of works from a vast and ever-growing body of choral literature.

For more than half a century, the Nashville Symphony Chorus regularly has presented significant works from the classical choral repertoire, from Baroque to contemporary. Now numbering more than 150 members, the Chorus performs at least twice each season as part of the Nashville Symphony's Classical Series, in addition to Handel's Messiah each December. Every year the Chorus also takes the spotlight at Voices of Spring, a special concert of choral works.

To view the Nashville Symphony Chorus roster, click here.

The Nashville Symphony Chorus is holding auditions for new singers in all voice types from July 29-31, 2024. To find out more about chorus auditions, click here. 


Recordings

  • Celebration in Song (Heartdance Music, 2000)
  • Beethoven: Missa Solemnis (Naxos, 2003)
  • Gershwin: Porgy and Bess (Decca, 2006)
  • Corigliano: A Dylan Thomas Trilogy (Naxos, 2008)
  • Menotti: Amahl & the Night Visitors (Naxos, 2008)
  • Abraham Lincoln Portraits (Naxos, 2009)
  • Ravel: L'Enfant et les sortilèges/Shèhèrazade - 2009 GRAMMY® Award nominee - "Best Classical Album" (Naxos, 2009)
  • John Harbison: Requiem (Naxos, 2018)

For more information, visit the Nashville Symphony's Recordings page.


History

The Nashville Symphony Chorus was formed by Nashville Symphony conductor Willis Page in 1963 to sing Handel’s Messiah. Prior to this, the Symphony had relied on the Nashville Choral Society, the Peabody College Choir and the Vanderbilt Choir when performing works for orchestra and chorus. By 1965, the 90-member Nashville Symphony Chorus was averaging three performances with the Nashville Symphony each season. For several years, the Nashville Symphony Chorus also participated in an annual holiday celebration, which combined the voices of the Nashville Symphony Chorus, the Vanderbilt Choir and the Fisk Jubilee Singers. These holiday concerts, featuring members of the Nashville Symphony, were held at Benton Chapel at Vanderbilt University and at Fisk University.

In January 1974, the Nashville Symphony Board recognized the Nashville Symphony Chorus as the official “vocal arm of the Nashville Symphony.” The chorus has grown artistically and in number thanks to the leadership of the following Chorus Directors:

  • Willis Page (1963-1965)
  • Charles Nelson (1965-1968)
  • Scott Withrow (1968-1982): Created the Nashville Symphony Chamber Chorus for performances independent of the Symphony
  • Sandra Willetts (1982-1987)
  • Dr. Raphael Bundage (1987-1991): Established the Southern Bach Festival & the Middle Tennessee Mozart Festival
  • Dr. David Cassel (1991-1994): Increased the core membership to 100 members
  • Dr. Tom Mitchell (1994-1997) 
  • David W. Hayes (1997): Led a tour to Russia and Germany in the summer of 1997
  • Dr. George Mabry (1997-2011): Led the Chorus on seven recordings, including Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, Gian Carlo Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors, and the GRAMMY-nominated recording of Ravel’s L’Enfant et les sortilèges
  • Kelly Corcoran (2013-2016): Launched an education initiative to share the joys of music learning with choral students in Middle Tennessee, and leading the Chorus in a performance of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony at the Cincinnati May Festival
  • Tucker Biddlecombe (2016-present): Current chorus director. Learn more about Tucker here.