Dubuque Chorale/Dubuque Chorale Children's Choirs

The Dubuque Chorale is a non-auditioned community choral organization composed of singers from Dubuque and its outlying regions. Dennis Williams founded the Chorale in 1971 for the initial purpose of studying and performing choral masterworks with orchestra; appropriately, the first concert season featured Handel’s Messiah and Haydn’s The Creation. Since its inception, the Chorale has performed over 60 major choral works and its mission has evolved to include great choral music from many genres. The group’s 50+ years of performances, over 1,100 singer-alumni, and more than 40,000 audience members can all attest to the accomplishment of this mission.

The Chorale presents concerts every fall and spring as well as performing additional engagements throughout the year. In 1986, they also began collaborating with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra for Holiday Concerts. This relationship still endures today, with the Chorale continuing to join the DSO onstage for the holidays and often for another classical work during each of the symphony’s subscription seasons. Numerous European and North American venues have hosted the Dubuque Chorale since it started touring in 1994, and the group has performed on tour with distinguished singers from various locales.

In the 2010s the Chorale worked to increase its reach and impact, adding a chamber choir, Cadenza, in the fall of 2012. This smaller ensemble gives the Chorale more performance flexibility, increasing its exposure as a community arts leader and advocate, and Cadenza frequently sings at local events as well as at Chorale concerts. In 2013, the Chorale began hosting SongFest, an annual choral festival featuring numerous collegiate and community choirs that promotes cross-generational collaboration among singers in Dubuque and its surrounding areas to this day.

The 2014-15 season saw the launch of the Dubuque Chorale Children’s Choir, a group of approximately 50 singers in third through sixth grades, and in 2022 a second children’s choir was added. The purpose of these choirs is to provide the children of Dubuque and nearby communities with an extracurricular creative outlet, to expose students to music and performance opportunities they may not encounter in school, and to allow them to interact and form relationships with other children and adults who are dedicated to choral excellence.

The Dubuque Chorale continues to flourish today under Dr. Amanda Huntleigh, who began her tenure as Artistic Director in 2018. Its most recent masterwork performances include Mozart's Requiem with the Dubuque Symphony Youth Orchestra and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the DSO. Since its founding, the Chorale has grown to include singers from a diverse array of occupations, ages, and socio-economic statuses, and its repertoire and artistic programming have expanded to include new collaborations and educational opportunities.

Please don't hesitate to join the Chorale for rehearsals on Thursdays evenings during the regular school year! For more info, go to dubuquechorale.org/, facebook.com/DubuqueChorale, or instagram.com/DubuqueChorale.

Testimonials

From audience members for The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass (performed November 2017): 

"What a gem of a concert. I am so proud of Carol Barnett (composer), Monroe Crossing (instrumentalists), the Children's Choir, the Dubuque Chorale, and conductors Dr. Bob Demaree and Karmella Sellers."

"This was A+ wonderful! Thank you. This was an extraordinary evening of music. Very original and life affirming."

"This was more ambitious, risky, and diverse than many other events presented by the Chorale."

From Chorale members:

"I can’t imagine my life without the Chorale. The joy it brings me really comes out when we do major works like our performances of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9." - Curt, bass since 2001

"Joining the Chorale was truly life-changing. After years away from the stage, I rediscovered my voice and found my musical home. Returning to public singing, especially in a group as welcoming as the Dubuque Chorale, has been an incredible gift." - Danielle, alto since 2019

"I love the Chorale. It's helped me become a better musician and given me opportunities to perform with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra.  It's among the best things in my life!" - Michael, tenor since 2022

“There’s something powerful about singing in a group. When the harmonies hit just right, they give me goosebumps and bring tears to my eyes. It’s a wonderful feeling to sing with others. I’m so happy that I joined the Dubuque Chorale!” - Macayla, soprano since 2024