History of Alexandria Choral Society

With the encouragement of the Alexandria City Council, the Alexandria Choral Society (ACS) was formed in 1970 as a component of the Performing Arts Association of Alexandria. ACS was independently incorporated in 1978. Beginning with the vision of founding director Francisco de Araujo, ACS has delighted audiences year in and year out, and the baton has passed from one illustrious hand to the next.

The mission of ACS is to enhance the cultural life of Alexandria by presenting diverse and engaging vocal music programs at the highest artistic level.  For more than half a century, ACS has enriched  the community with a broad spectrum of choral works, from the Renaissance to modern American composers, from small chamber pieces to major works for chorus and orchestra, and from a great variety of musical languages and cultures. The ensemble has fostered an inclusive environment of belonging and collaboration in the City of Alexandria and beyond.

ACS’s long history of thoughtful programming and commissioning new works has expanded the choral repertoire in the City of Alexandria, the greater Washington region, and the larger choral world. ACS’s first commissioned work, premiered in 1984, was miracles: five poems of e.e. cummings, composed by Robert Shafer.  This was followed by the initial composition and subsequent orchestration of Dirge for Two Veterans by Richard Bales, based on a text by Walt Whitman, and premiered at the composer's final concert as music director of the National Gallery of Art.  In 1987, ACS honored the City of Alexandria with the commissioning and premiere of Russell Woollen’s Alexandria Suite, based on poetry by Alexandria’s then-poet laureate Jean Elliot.   ACS presented this piece numerous times during 1999, the city’s 250th anniversary year.  In the last several years, ACS commissions and premieres have included new works by Christopher Hoh, Jonathan Kolm, Lori Laitman, and Tawnie Olson. Most recently, ACS commissioned and presented the world premiere of You Birth the Seeds, by acclaimed composer Melissa Dunphy, with text by Alexandria poet laureate Zeina Azzam.

ACS actively collaborates with other local choirs, orchestras, and art organizations, both professional and community-based. Past collaborations include the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic Orchestra, NOVA Symphony Orchestra, Alexandria Children’s Chorus, Alfred Street Baptist Church, Alexandria Singers, Alexandria Harmonizers, Del Ray Artisans, Local Motion Project, and Virginia Chamber Orchestra. Additionally, ACS regularly participates in Alexandria community events such as Art on the Avenue, the Old Town Tree Lighting, the Scottish Christmas Walk, the Torpedo Factory’s Cherry Blossom Jubilee, and more. ACS’s culture of collaboration extended internationally in 2025 with a tour to Ireland and Scotland, including a concert in Alexandria’s sister city of Dundee, Scotland, with the local community chorus. Also in 2025, as part of its 55th anniversary season, ACS planned and hosted the inaugural city-wide choral festival One Voice Alexandria, bringing together over 450 singers across eight Alexandria-based choirs to perform together on one stage. The event was a great success, with a sold-out audience and led by Mayor Alyia Gaskins as the Master of Ceremonies.

Also as a part of our 55th anniversary year, ACS presented Washington Women on International Women’s Day. This concert centered on the song cycle Washington Women by David Chase and Judith Clurman, which set to music quotes by 13 trail-blazing women who helped shape America. Composer Judith Clurman rehearsed with ACS, attended the performance, and participated in a panel discussion with the audience. ACS also partnered with seven local women-owned and women-centered businesses as vendors before and after the concert, furthering ACS’s commitment to the local economy.

For over a decade, a smaller chamber chorus, made up of ACS members selected by audition, has performed under the name "Pro Coro Alexandria" in special appearances around the Metropolitan Area and as part of the ACS regular concert season. Annually, Pro Coro Alexandria presents the Snow Globe Series -- a variety of pop-up style winter concerts that are free and open to the public. Born out of the COVID-19 pandemic, this Series began as a way to bring choral music to the community during a time when group singing indoors was not possible, with outdoor concerts in various Alexandria neighborhoods. 

Along with promoting choral music, ACS is passionately committed to supporting local youth music education. The Sing-Off Grant program, initially established over 15 years ago to recognize student compositions, now annually awards a local school or youth community choral program for musical performance excellence with a stipend for their music program and an opportunity to perform alongside ACS in one of our concerts. 

​ACS’s excellence has long been recognized in the community. In 1992, ACS was an initial recipient of the Chorus America/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming, and ACS was twice selected for the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce’s ALEX Award, recognizing artistic excellence in service to the arts in Alexandria. In 2020, ACS was honored with an official letter of commendation from the Senate of the Commonwealth of Virginia in recognition of our 50th season and for outstanding community engagement and dedicated service to the citizens of Alexandria. In 2025, in recognition of the Washington Women concert, One Voice Alexandria festival, and the numerous other collaborations we undertook as part of our 55th anniversary season, ACS was nominated for the Choralis Ovation Award for “Best Collaboration.” 

ACS’s roster of distinguished music directors includes Francisco de Araujo, Martin Piecuch, Robert Shafer, Douglas Major, Kerry Krebill, Keith Reas, Philip Cave, Brian Gendron, Brian Fontaine-Isaac, and, currently, Kathryn Harsha. ACS looks forward to many more years of bringing great choral performances to the City of Alexandria and the greater Washington Metropolitan Area.