In the five years since its founding in 2006, sixty-voice Chora Nova has become an important part of the San Francisco Bay Area’s cultural fabric. Based in Berkeley, California, it is known as a chorus that presents innovative programs featuring a mix of well-known and unusual works. Programs such as Baroque masterpieces by Zelenka and Kuhnau (Fall 2008) or the contemporary St. Nicholas Cantata by Benjamin Britten (Fall 2007) are prime examples.
Our singers come from all parts of the San Francisco Bay region and from all walks of life. This diverse group has grown in skill and quality under the leadership of Dr. Paul Flight. Rehearsals are held in Berkeley. The chorus presents three concerts per year in November, March, and May. Auditions are required for entry into the chorus. See the Auditions page for more information.
Concerts have included music that is modern and ancient, all accompanied by professional instrumentalists. The 2006-2007 inaugural season included performances of little-known and rarely performed works by Michael Haydn, the lesser known brother of Franz Josef Haydn, a concert of part songs and love songs by eighteenth and nineteenth century composers, and Mozart's Solemn Vespers. This ambitious debut season was followed by repertoire that has included Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem in a chamber setting by Brahms himself, songs by women composers, works by Kodaly, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solenelle and Faure’s Requiem.
Our fifth anniversary season performances featured works by F.J. Haydn, Rheinberger, Galuppi, Pergolesi, and included Vivaldi’s recently discovered Dixit Dominus. See the Concerts tab for more details and to buy tickets for our 2011-12 season, which will feature works by Mozart, Schumann, Schubert, and more.
Chora Nova has been directed since its inception by Dr. Paul Flight, a well-known and respected choral conductor in the Bay Area. Dr. Flight was invited to be the guest on KALW radio’s new program, Voice Box, for a special hour-length feature on choruses in the Bay Area. He was also a guest on KALW radio’s show My Favorite Things in September of 2007.