Chorus

Since its founding in 1965, it has attracted singers from all walks of life, drawn together by a mutual love of singing. We believe in the power of music to create harmony among people and transcend all barriers of language, culture, race, class, and emotion to unite people facing a world of increasing factionalism and violence. It is led by Barbara Pickhardt, who has been its Artistic Director since 1976.

Since igniting the musical life of the Woodstock, NY arts community with its first concert on June 12, 1966, the group performs the world’s finest choral music, from renowned masterworks to chamber music of all genres to new commissions and premieres. Ars Choralis follows a three-concert season, performing in December, March and June, often in collaboration with area orchestras, chamber ensembles, dance and theater groups. 

Additionally, we firmly believe in expanding our reach to the community with free concerts dedicated to helping feed the hungry and those in need such as our annual free New Year’s Eve concerts at Old Dutch Church in Kingston. Recently we’ve added an Outreach Program where we bring the music to audiences in care facilities throughout the Hudson Valley.

BACKGROUND

At the dawn of the new millennium, artistic director Barbara Pickhardt created a series of concerts, Messengers of Peace, designed to foster compassion, peace and good will among people. It was first performed in Kingston, NY on New Year’s Eve, 2000/2001 and subsequently performed in Budapest and Vienna. Messengers of Peace was further adapted and performed to offer hope and solace to the community in times of tragedy and natural disasters.

Pickhardt’s unique creations for Ars Choralis turned to the Holocaust with the powerful Music in Desperate Times: Remembering the Women’s Orchestra of Birkenau concert performed throughout the Hudson Valley, at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Manhattan and in Berlin, Germany.

The celebrated Welcome Yule concerts have often included segments of music woven among words from Dickens’ Pickwick Papers and Christmas Carol, Dylan Thomas’ A Child’s Christmas in Wales, Maya Angelou’s Amazing Peace, Native American legends and Civil War diaries.

Auditions for membership in Ars Choralis are held in September and, on special request, in January and March. To arrange an audition contact Barbara at bpickhardt@gmail.com.