Handel Choir History
. . . enhancing the cultural life of Baltimore through presentation of high quality performances and reaching out to educate and inspire children in the Baltimore community.
In 1934 a group of singers joined with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra to perform Mendelssohn's Elijah for a national music teachers' convention. The following year, Katherine Luke, Chairwoman of the 1934 Baltimore National Music Week Committee, again gathered the singers together and founded the Handel Choir of Baltimore. For its first concert, the Handel Choir performed the oratorio Messiah, composed by George Frideric Handel (1685-1759), inaugurating an annual tradition which continues uninterrupted to this day.
The Choir has presented masterpieces of the choral and choral-orchestral repertoire as well as music new to Baltimore audiences. Rather than performing in a fixed venue, the Choir is proud to carry out its mission by presenting subscription concerts in a variety of concert halls, churches and synagogues throughout the metropolitan area. Frequent informal performances during the year include concerts for retirement communities, civic events and educational programs.
The Handel Choir of Baltimore organization expanded in 2000 to include the Handel Children's Choir, and for several years the Choir worked with the After School AKAdemy at Arena Players with whom we continue an informal partnership. The use of historical period instruments for performances of baroque, classical and early romantic music was introduced in 2004-2005. In 2006 the Handel Choir formed the Chandos Singers, an ensemble named after the Duke of Chandos, one of Handel's earliest patrons when he moved to London from Germany. This new ensemble includes twelve singers selected from the larger Handel Choir membership, augmented on occasion and depending on the repertoire, with professional guest vocal and instrumental soloists.
