Nashville Symphony announces the appointment of current Associate Conductor Kelly Corcoran as the new director of the Nashville Symphony Chorus. Corcoran’s responsibilities will include working with Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero to review and select choral works to be performed with the Symphony. She will also conduct auditions for new chorus members and rehearse the Symphony Chorus to prepare this nationally recognized ensemble for performances with the orchestra. Corcoran fills this post following the retirement of Dr. George Mabry in November of 2011.
“Kelly Corcoran was selected after a lengthy audition process,” says Nashville Symphony Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero. “Drawing on her strong background in conducting and choral performance, she brings a unique sensitivity to the role of chorus director. We are fortunate to keep her involved with our orchestra, and I look forward to working with her in this new capacity. Whether she is directing the Nashville Symphony Chorus, an orchestra or a small ensemble, her attention to detail, her depth of knowledge and her engaging personality create a powerful synergy with the chorus and the musicians.”
Corcoran adds, “I am so pleased to have the opportunity to stay connected to the Nashville community and this organization in particular. With the Nashville Symphony Chorus celebrating its 50th anniversary during the 2013/14 season, I am so honored to be a part of this rich tradition and very excited to continue enhancing the solid reputation of this great group of singers.”
As Associate Conductor of the Nashville Symphony, Kelly Corcoran has conducted a variety of programs, including the Symphony’s SunTrust Classical Series and Bank of America Pops Series, and has served as the primary conductor for the orchestra’s education and community engagement concerts. As a guest conductor, she has led major orchestras throughout the country, including performances with The Cleveland Orchestra and the Atlanta, Colorado, Charlotte, Detroit, Houston, Milwaukee and National Symphonies. Prior to her position in Nashville, she completed three seasons as assistant conductor for the Canton Symphony Orchestra in Ohio and music director of the Canton Youth Symphony and the Cleveland-area Heights Chamber Orchestra. Originally from Massachusetts and a member of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus for more than 10 years, she received her Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from The Boston Conservatory and her Master of Music in instrumental conducting from Indiana University. She currently serves on the conducting faculty at the New York Summer Music Festival.
The Nashville Symphony Chorus is dedicated to enriching the greater Nashville community through high-quality performances of works from a vast and growing body of choral literature. The Chorus was formed by Nashville Symphony conductor Willis Page in 1963 to sing Handel's Messiah. By 1965, the 90-member ensemble was averaging three performances with the Nashville Symphony each season. The Symphony Chorus has been featured on seven recordings.
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Founded in 1946, the GRAMMY® Award-winning Nashville Symphony has earned an international reputation for its innovative programming and its commitment to performing, recording and commissioning works by America’s leading composers. The Nashville Symphony has released 19 recordings on Naxos, which have received 14 GRAMMY® nominations and seven GRAMMY® Awards, making NSO one of the most active recording orchestras in the country. With more than 140 performances annually, the 85-member orchestra offers a broad range of classical, pops, jazz and children’s concerts, while its extensive education and community engagement programs inspire over 250,000 children and adults each year.
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