Louisville Chorus

Louisville Chorus, established 1939 in Louisville, Kentucky, is the longest-thriving most frequently performing choral arts agency in Kentuckiana and neighboring states—also exceeding the longevity of opera, ballet, and theatre in the area.

Louisville Chorus has filmed concerts for international broadcast on EWTN, the largest religious media network in the world and has recorded music for Hollywood in the making of movies. Louisville Chorus is also a member of Chorus America and has had music chosen for nationwide broadcast on the first nationally distributed radio series to focus exclusively on the art of choral music performance.

A professional chorus of auditioned singers, Louisville Chorus provides an immense repertoire ranging from choral masterworks with orchestra to pops, family-oriented, Broadway, and celebrations of Christmas, Valentine's Day, Fourth of July, and more. This chorus offers a very active season of concerts, multimedia events, and outreach programs. It performs with other arts agencies including adult and youth ensembles, and offers concerts for arts series and other events throughout Kentuckiana.

The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, provides partial operating support to Louisville Chorus with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Louisville Chorus is supported by the Louisville Fund for the Arts.

History
In 1939, Father Joseph Emrich founded The Holy Name Choral Club, which later became The Choral Club of Louisville in 1972 and Louisville Chorus in 1987. The late Joseph Herde succeeded Father Emrich. Richard Spalding, Conductor Emeritus, devoted 20 years to this choral arts agency and made possible its 1985 European Sister Cities Concert Tour.

From 1991 to 2002, the Louisville Chorus was led by director Daniel Spurlock. S. Timothy Glasscock became the new artistic director in late 2002. Therese Davis was the long-time executive director and pianist.

Davis has collaborated with the music directors since 1969 to ensure high standards and the successful growth and development of the Chorus. In June 2009 Daniel Spurlock returned as Music Director.

Highlights
Ongoing Annual Events: MasterWorks with orchestra • Performance collaborations with other arts institutions, including the youth • Local and Outreach Concerts • Celebrations of Christmas, Valentine's Day, Fourth of July, and more • Active season of concerts, incorporating widely diversified repertoire and performance venues

1939   Founding of the Holy Name Band and Choral Club (all Catholic men) by Father Joseph Emrich

1940   First performance in Columbia Auditorium (Knights of Columbus - now Spalding Auditorium)

1942   Recruitment of Catholic women. Began Iroquois Amphitheater performances with proceeds to the U.S.O.

1958   Appointment of Joseph Herde as Music Director

1967   Appointment of Richard Spalding as Music Director (20 year tenure)

1970   Verdi Requiem with The Louisville Orchestra

1972   Name change to The Choral Club of Louisville. Chorus becomes non-denominational.

1982   Benefit Concert for Hearing Impaired Children

1984   Official Brown & Williamson sponsored "Light Up Louisville" Entertainment for the next 10 years

1985   European Sister Cities Concert Tour to Mainz, Germany and Montpellier, France; Carmina Burana with the Louisville Ballet

1987   Name change to The Louisville Chorus; "Resurrection" Symphony No. 2 (Mahler) with The Louisville Orchestra

1988   First Super Pops with The Louisville Orchestra; Initial induction into Chorus America, the National Association for Professional Vocal Ensembles

1989   Designation of Richard Spalding as Conductor Emeritus

1991   Appointment of Daniel Spurlock as Music Director

1992   Host Chorus for the Kentucky Bicentennial Concert

1992   "My Old Kentucky Home", sung in Russian, to 300 million former Soviet citizens, during a Kentucky Derby telecast

1993   Lonesome Pine Special Celebration of Irish Folk Music Concert with Mick Moloney

1994   Host Chorus for Symphony No. 8 (Mahler) "Symphony of A Thousand" with The Louisville Orchestra; Daniel Spurlock, Chorus Master

1995   First annual Unforgettable Valentine Dinner Concert

1996   Release of first CD Christmas from the Heart

1997   Iroquois Amphitheater Diamond Jubilee Season Opener and subsequent Kickoff Concerts

1999   Season opening performance of the Fauré Requiem with The Louisville Orchestra

2000   Feature concert - Mozart Requiem + with members of The Louisville Orchestra

2002   A 9/11 Memorial Musical Tribute

2003   Appointment of S. Timothy Glasscock as Artistic Director

2006   Collaborative performances of A German Requiem (Brahms) with Jewish Community Center Orchestra and YPAS Concert Choir

2009   Filming for perpetual INTERNATIONAL Broadcast on EWTN, largest global religious media network

2009   6/09—Return of Daniel Spurlock as Music Director

2016   Performance of the Dan Forrest (Young/Living/Contemporary composer) Requiem for the Living (His largest work—Published in 2013) joined by Louisville Philharmonia—the Musicians' Orchestra, chorus and soloists

2018   Implementation of Apprentice Connection program—for HS singers—To rehearse & perform in a professional choral ensemble environment and to apply & build upon education gained from current HS choral director