San Diego Master Chorale Announces 2024-25 Season

(San Diego, California) Following a record breaking season — with a 75% increase in attendance and over 500 new donors coming on board to support the organization — the San Diego Master Chorale has announced its 2024-25 Season. Highlights include a celebration of American poet Robert Frost’s 150th birthday, Brahms Requiem, Messiah Sing, an audience-curated Mixtape program, and performances at venues from San Ysidro to Encinitas. Tickets will go on sale September 10, 2024 at sdmasterchorale.org. 

“Blending the artistic excellence that Music Director John Russell has meticulously built over the past decade with the executive leadership of Jen Rogers, the San Diego Master Chorale is hitting its stride,” says Board President Jim Shelley. “We’re excited to continue investing and expanding our role in our community, offering innovative programming that resonates with audiences old and new. The Chorale is proudly represented by a diverse group of singers from across San Diego County, and the future holds even greater promise as we continue to amplify voices through singing.”

The San Diego Master Chorale’s 64th season opens with FROSTIANA, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of legendary American poet, Robert Frost (1874-1963), with a performance of Randall Thompson’s Frostiana. This suite of pieces for chorus and piano stands as a cornerstone of American choral music. Frostiana features beloved selections including Frost’s “The Road Not Taken,” “The Pasture,” and “A Girl’s Garden.” FROSTIANA will be performed November 2 at Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church and on Sunday November 3 at San Dieguito Methodist Church in Encinitas.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since I started this journey with the San Diego Master Chorale. I’m incredibly proud of how we’ve elevated our artistry, attracted new singers, and supported emerging artists each season,” says Music Director John K. Russell. “With the addition of professional administrative leadership, our singers are more supported than ever, allowing them to perform at their best. Seeing all the elements finally come together is fulfilling a long-held dream for me. This organization and community has always meant so much to me and my family, and it’s gratifying to know that we’re building a lasting legacy for future generations of singers in San Diego.”

SD Master Chorale’s celebrations of Robert Frost also include a Lecture Performance by the The Robert Frost Society and singers from the SD Master Chorale on October 19 at 2:00 pm at the San Diego Central Library. The free event includes readings and commentary of Frost’s poetry alongside sung pieces from Frostiana. And on October 26, the Chorale will perform a special Side-By-Side Concert featuring highlights from the Frostiana program at the San Ysidro Performing Arts Center with high school students from Sweetwater Unified High School District.

In December, the Chorale rings in the holiday season with its wildly popular MESSIAH SING on December 8 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral. This will be the 14th annual performance in which the audience joins members of the SD Master Chorale to perform selections from Handel’s Messiah together, accompanied by organist Martin Green.

The Chorale returns to Point Loma for two performances of the moving masterwork, BRAHMS REQUIEM, on April 26 and 27, 2025 at Point Loma Presbyterian Community Church. Regarded as a powerful requiem for the living, Johannes Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, A German Requiem, explores life after loss and provides hope and solace for humanity. The San Diego Master Chorale will use Brahms’ own arrangement for two pianos and will feature pianists Bryan Verhoye and Jessie Chang on the program.

The Chorale’s 64th season concludes with a new concert concept, MIXTAPE, a concert program of repertoire selected by audience vote. This fall, audience members will be invited to submit their favorite songs and what they want to hear the Chorale sing and then have the chance to vote for the top contenders online. The resulting winners will be performed by the Chorale on May 31 at 4:00 pm at the Coronado Performing Arts Center and on June 1 at 4:00 pm at San Dieguito Methodist Church in Encinitas.

Guest appearances by San Diego Master Chorale this season include NOEL NOEL with the San Diego Symphony (December 13-15, 2024) at Jacobs Music Center and with the Mainly Mozart All Star Orchestra (2025). The Chorale will also reprise its popular collaboration with the Choral Consortium of San Diego for another BEER CHOIR SD event in the spring of 2025.

The Chorale continues to expand its youth engagement programs including the Student Tickets Initiative, a program where students can attend select concerts free of charge when reserved by educators and choir directors. $5 Rush Tickets are also available at the door starting 10 minutes before concert time for anyone 25 years old and younger. 

Single tickets are $30, with discounts available for Students, Seniors, and Active Duty Military; Children 12 and under are free. For more information on San Diego Master Chorale’s concerts, student programs, and concert tickets, visit sdmasterchorale.org.