New Mexico Symphony Orchestra Chorus - Resident Orchestra

Photo Credit: Chris Lee

The New Mexico Symphony Orchestra Chorus is making its third appearance with the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival in 2008.  Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s music director, Christopher Seaman, requested  the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra Chorus for a performance of the Mozart Requiem with his orchestra at the 2006 Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival.  Accolades from the audience, conductor, and orchestra were overwhelming, leading to a return engagement at Bravo! to perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Philadelphia Orchestra in July 2007.

The 2007-08 season marks the 35th anniversary of this highly select, all-volunteer chorus.  In December 2002, the NMSO released the first solo CD featuring the NMSO Chorus under the baton of Roger Melone, The NMSO Chorus received the Albuquerque Arts Alliance Bravo Award in 1999 for Excellence in Musical Performance for its 1998 performances of Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.

Who are these people that form the NMSO Chorus?  They come from all walks of life, bound together by their common love of music.  Among its ninety singers, sixteen are professional musicians working in music-related fields, thirty-nine hold degrees in music, and six maintain private teaching studios.  All ninety singers have studied voice or play an instrument.