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The Spartanburg Festival Chorus, Spartanburg’s choral union of community singers and Converse Petrie School of Music students, has since August 2022 a new name: The Spartanburg Master Chorale. The new name more accurately reflects the purpose of the chorus: to present masterworks of choral and choral-orchestral repertory from the 16th century to the present day. The group has been together, under various names (Spartanburg Symphony Chorus, Spartanburg Festival Chorus) for over 50 years and has presented high-profile concerts with the Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra and with Ballet Spartanburg, and they have participated in major choral festivals in the Prague, Paris, and in Oppenau, Germany.
The group specializes in the performance of choral and choral-orchestral masterworks of the last 400 years. Highlights of the last 10 years include performances of George Frideric Handel's Messiah, Johannes Brahms' A German Requiem, Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah, Orff’s Carmina Burana, W.A. Mozart's Requiem and Mass in C Minor, J.S. Bach's Magnificat in D major BWV 243 and Johannes-Passion BWV 245, Ralph Vaughan Williams's Hodie and Serenade to Music, and Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna. On November 17, 2022, the Spartanburg Master Chorale presented Robert S. Cohen’s Alzheimer’s Stories to the Spartanburg Community, in collaboration with the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. On March 6, 2025, Converse Master Chorale and Converse Chamber Orchestra presented "Bach 340", a concert celebrating J.S. Bach's 340th Birthday, with Thomas Strauß (Musical Director of the Ortenau Bach Choir and The Festwoche Klassicher Musik in Oppenau, Germany) as Guest Conductor. The Spartanburg Master Chorale has also been a part of the immensely popular Lessons and Carols holiday program at Converse for many years.
The group is conducted by Dr. Keith Jones, Professor of Voice and Choirs, and accompanied in rehearsal by Ms. Julie Smith. |
