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History
In 1990, Dr. Betty Karol Wilson had a dream and The Classical Chorus of Abilene, Inc., with its
mission to promote choral music through participation and performance, began with a 23 member adult
chorus. This non-profit corporation now consists of over 120 singers, first grade through adult, in four
different choirs, from all over the Big Country.
The Adult Chorus has performed with the Abilene Philharmonic, Abilene
Opera Association, Texas Baroque Ensemble, University of Texas Early Music Project, Abilene Ballet, and Abilene
Community Band, as well as the Mercury Baroque Ensemble, and has toured to Scotland and Italy. They have
performed such major works as Handel's Messiah, Mozart's Requiem, Orff's Carmina Burana, Haydn's Mass in
Time of War, Brahms' A German Requiem, Mozart's Coronation Mass, Byrd's Mass for Four Voices, Bach's St.
John's Passion, Verdi's Requiem, the Texas premiere of Handel's Solomon,
Mozart's Cantata #140 and the Lord Nelson Mass.
Three choirs exist for young singers: the Classical Children's Chorus (grades 1 - 4); the Classical Youth
Chorus (grades 5 - 8); and the Classical Youth Chorale (grades 9 - 12). In addition to performing locally
in Abilene, Sweetwater, Stamford, Anson, Coleman, Albany, and Winters, over the past 13 years members of
the youth choirs have performed internationally in England, France, Canada, Italy,
the Caribbean, and Austria. The Youth Choruses
have also performed with the Abilene Philharmonic, the Abilene Opera Association, and the Abilene Ballet.
They have hosted the Fredericksburg Children's Choir, the Amarillo Boys' Choir, the Manila Children's Choir,
the New Zealand Youth Chorus, the Moscow Boys' Choir, and the Vienna Boys'
Choir, and have performed for Barbara Bush. Each year,
young singers entertain at various retirement and nursing home and for numerous free community events,
learning an average of twenty pieces of music each year, from many different nations, eras, and in
different languages.
The Classical Chorus of Abilene is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation and is not affiliated with any school,
university, or church, and must therefore raise all its own funds and supply all its own needs. The overall
mission of the Chorus is to promote choral music through participation and performance. The goal of our youth
program is to instill in each child a lifelong love of music and to contribute positively to the development
of each singer's self-esteem in an environment that required cooperation among peers and strives for artistic
excellence. We believe that by doing so, we are educating voices, hearts, and
minds through music. |
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