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San Diego Master Chorale

Recognized for its inspiring and exhilarating performances, the San Diego Master Chorale has served as the premiere choral ensemble of San Diego County since 1961. Featuring over 100 of the region’s finest singers, the SD Master Chorale performs classical masterworks, new music by contemporary composers, and diverse works of many styles under the direction of Music Director John K. Russell. 

The mission of SD Master Chorale is to connect all people to the joy of professional-caliber live choral music and enrich lives by sharing what we have in common — our voice. Each year, the Chorale reaches tens of thousands of listeners both on stage and off through live performances and broadcasts on KPBS, San Diego’s NPR station. The SD Master Chorale can frequently be heard in collaboration with the San Diego Symphony, La Jolla Music Society & Chorus, and Mainly Mozart Festival. 

The Chorale’s community programs include an annual High School Honor Choir Festival for more than 100 outstanding young singers featuring an all-day choral workshop culminating in a side-by-side concert with the Chorale for the community.

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access
Guiding Principles

The San Diego Master Chorale aspires to share the highest possible levels of the choral arts with our community, by performing and celebrating music of many traditions for audiences of many traditions. 

We actively seek and welcome singers of all backgrounds and cultures, and to feature works by diverse composers. In doing so, we embrace the diversity of our local community and audiences, offering our music as a cultural crossroads to all. 

To that end, the San Diego Master Chorale is committed to championing policies and practices of diversity, equity and inclusion which result in just, equitable and inclusive access to our programming and to our organization. 

We define cultural equity as the values, policies, and practices that ensure that all people are represented in the artists we engage and commission; in our audiences; in all levels of our administrative and production staff; in the vendors and contractors we engage; and in the Board of Directors that governs our organization in a way that is fair and inclusive.

Our definition of “all people” includes (but is not limited to) those who have been historically underrepresented in choral music because of race/ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geography, citizenship status, or religion.

As an art form, the very substance of choral music is diverse voices. A diverse sound, produced by diverse vocal instruments. In our self-produced programs, we include works by excellent composers, historical and contemporary, from groups traditionally underrepresented in choral publishing (such as women, people of color, and diverse gender identity).

Adopted February 2023