The Hampshire Choral Society is a 160 voice amateur choir that rehearses in Northampton, Massachusetts, and performs in Hampshire County. Our members are a mix of ages and experience levels; we are open to anyone who can carry a tune. Nonetheless, we work hard to produce a sound worthy of the great compositions we sing. As former director Carol Gotwals wrote in her twenty-fifth year at HCS, (the society's thirtieth anniversary), "our success is measured by the enthusiasm with which the chorus works, and the quality of the end result."
Now, over twenty years later, under the baton of Allan Taylor, our mission remains the same -- to create beautiful music, and to have fun doing it. Mr. Taylor is an accomplished concert organist and harpsichordist, and directs two other major choral ensembles: GWCA, a Westfield-based community chorus, and Novi Cantori, a professional choir of nineteen voices. He combines a dry wit with a passion for music, and is a joy to sing for.
We sing a wide range of music, focusing on choral classics of the western tradition. In Spring of 2004, for example, we performed Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the PVSO, sang Randall Thompson's The Road Not Taken for the Northampton 350th Convocation (a piece HCS premiered under his direction in 1959), and performed Haydn's beautiful Missa Cellensis with a baroque orchestra. In a review of the latter work, Springfield Republican critic Clifton J. Noble Jr. praised Allan Taylor's "...thorough preparation and contained, incisive direction." "[T]he Choral Society produced a well-balanced, enthusiastic sound, articulated with crisp diction. From the first explosive "K" of the Kyrie, they announced their joyous engagement in Haydn's intricate musical campaign." Here is a sample from the Missa Cellensis:
We audition new members during the first two weeks of each semester. Our next auditions will be in September 2009.
After the audition, new chorus members will be expected to attend our regular Tuesday night rehearsals, which run from 7:30 to 9:30 PM.
The audition is not threatening; auditioners are asked to sing with the piano, and may either bring their own piece, or be given a hymn.
Registration is $60 plus the cost of music. We strive to keep our dues reasonable, and are willing to waive them for those who cannot afford them. Naturally, we do not discriminate on the basis of creed, ethnicity or sexual orientation.