Our History & Philosophy

Our Chorus Mission

The San Francisco Lyric Chorus is an auditioned nonprofessional chorus that performs a repertoire representing all periods of choral music, with a special interest in presenting little known, rarely performed works of exceptional merit.

Our Choral Philosophy

Of all the creative arts, singing affords the most personal and universal expression. The vocal instrument is one's own body, the musical sound being sculpted from the breath. Choral singing creates sonorities of astonishing beauty, musical palettes that can inspire, soothe and delight. In this environment of cooperation and sensitivity to others, a chorus nurtures understanding and friendships as its members share with each other the joyous experience. Whether we are being playful or serious, the San Francisco Lyric Chorus is committed to tapping that "spark" which brings the music off the page and into the heart and spirit of the listener.

The Chorus' History

Since its formation in 1995, the Chorus has offered diverse and innovative music to the community through a gathering of singers who believe in a commonality of spirit and sharing. The début concert featured music by Gabriel Fauré and Louis Vierne. The Chorus has been involved in several premieres, including Bay Area composer Brad Osness’ Lamentations, Ohio composer Robert Witt’s Four Motets to the Blessed Virgin Mary (West Coast premiere) New York composer William Hawley’s The Snow That Never Drifts (San Francisco premiere) San Francisco composer Kirke Mechem’s Christmas the Morn, Blessed Are They, To Music (San Francisco premieres), and selections from his operas, John Brown and The Newport Rivals, as well as our 10th Anniversary Commission work, Lee R. Kesselman’s This Grand Show Is Eternal.

In 2005-2006 we celebrated our 10th anniversary.We explored music from the Renaissance, in Fall 2005 performing Thomas Tallis’ Missa Puer Natus Est Nobis and If Ye Love Me, as well as 20th century English holiday compositions by Benjamin Britten, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gustav Holst, and William Mathias. In Spring 2006, we featured the San Francisco Lyric Chorus’ gift to the choral world—our 10th Anniversary Commission work—This Grand Show Is Eternal, by Illinois composer, Lee R. Kesselman. Mr. Kesselman set for chorus and organ beautiful and poetic texts by the incredible naturalist John Muir. The centerpiece of our Spring season was the magnificent Avodath Hakodesh (Sacred Service) by Ernest Bloch, commissioned by San Francisco’s Temple Emanu-el. We also presented San Francisco composers Kirke Mechem’s exuberant Give Thanks Unto the Lord, one of his earliest works, and Ludwig Altman’s lovely Choral Meditation, as well as New Englander Charles Ives’ unique setting of The Sixty-Seventh Psalm.

We concluded our wonderful 10th Anniversary Year season with works of reflection. Eighteenth century composer Michael Haydn’s rarely performed Requiem is an energetic, yet beautiful and thoughtful setting of the Catholic service for the departed. Ralph Vaughan Williams’ deeply powerful Dona Nobis Pacem, written in 1936, expresses his views on life, death and the tragedy of war.