Downers Grove Choral Society 61st Season, 2019-2020

The Downers Grove Choral Society, under the direction of Artistic Director John Patrick Rakes, announces its 61^s Season and invites new and returning vocalists to join us on Monday, September 9, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. in the Milnes Room at the Indian Boundary YMCA, Downers Grove, to secure music for the first of three concerts and begin rehearsals.  All new members are asked to schedule a voice hearing with the Artistic Director.  Visit the Downers Grove website www.dgcs.org, email info@dgcs.org or call 630.515.0030 for more information and to schedule a voice hearing for Monday September 9 or Monday September 16, 2019.

Downers Grove Choral Society, anchored in Downers Grove, draws its members from around the Chicagoland area. Our membership extends well beyond Downers Grove, including such communities as Western Springs, Elgin, Woodridge, Geneva, Lemont, Wheaton, Homer Glen, Naperville, Carol Stream, Lombard, Bolingbrook, Villa Park and Willowbrook, to name just a few.

The Downers Grove Choral Society is looking forward to its exciting 61st Season which begins on Sunday, December 8, 2019 with Holiday Baroque featuring the 60^th Anniversary performance of Handel’s “Messiah” (Part 1+), as well as works by Vivaldi, Rutter and Corelli. There will be a pre-concert discussion at 3:15 p.m., followed by the 4:00 p.m. concert.

The second concert, Poetic Portraits, on Sunday, March 8, 2020, features Lauridsen’s “Mid-Winter Songs” and Rutter’s “When Icicles Hang”. There will be a pre-concert discussion at 3:15 p.m., followed by the 4:00 p.m. concert.

Sunday, May 17, 2020 is the date for Memorial Day Reflections, and will feature Haydn’s “Missa in Tempore Belli (Paukenmesse)” and Vaughan William’s “Dona Nobis Pacem”. There will be a pre-concert discussion at 3:15 p.m., followed by the 4:00 p.m. concert.

The Downers Grove Choral Society rehearses Monday evenings, beginning September 9, 2019, 7:30 – 9:45 p.m., in the Milnes Room at the Indian Boundary YMCA, 711 59^th Street, Downers Grove.

Monday September 9 and Monday September 16, 2019 are “Open House” rehearsals, including light refreshments, for new and returning members. For the 2019-2020 season only, concert costumes will be provided for new and returning members.

All new members are asked to schedule a voice hearing with the Artistic Director.

Visit the Downers Grove website www.dgcs.org, email info@dgcs.org or call 630.515.0030 for more information and to schedule a voice hearing.