Pacific Chorale was founded as the Irvine Community Chorus and then the Irvine Master Chorale under the direction of Maurice Allard. John Alexander became the Chorale's music director in 1972. Alexander has held posts including Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies in the California State University System for 35 years. He has conducted hundreds of performances of choirs and orchestras in 27 countries around the globe. In 2006 he was presented a Distinguished Faculty Member award from California State University, Fullerton. He is a past president of Chorus America. Other awards include the Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Award for lifetime achievement as an artistic visionary in the arts in Orange County, and Outstanding Individual Artist Award from Arts Orange County. After 45 years as the organization's leader, Alexander stepped down in June 2017. Assistant conductor Robert Istad succeeded him as artistic director.
Program and singers
Pacific Chorale consists of 140 professional and volunteer singers. The Chorale performs about six times per year in its own season. It also performs regularly with the Pacific Symphony and Los Angeles Philharmonic and performs as part of the Hollywood Bowl series in the summer. Other noted collaborations include the Boston Symphony, the National Symphony, and the Long Beach, Pasadena, Riverside, and San Diego symphonies. The Chorale performs a wide range of classics and modern pieces, and has commissioned numerous works including most recently The Shore by Frank Ticheli and The Radio Hour by Jake Heggie. The Chorale's regular season includes two performances of its popular Christmas concert as well as an annual performance of Handel's Messiah with the Pacific Symphony. The Chorale has toured in England, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Russia, France, Austria, Spain, South America, China, and Estonia, among others. The Pacific Chorale's 24-voice professional chamber ensemble, known as the John Alexander Singers during Alexander's tenure, specializes in modern and early music, presenting a cappella chamber concerts and collaborating regularly with the Musica Angelica period chamber orchestra.
Awards
Pacific Chorale has won a number of grants and awards including: Chorus America Award for Education and Community Engagement National Endowment for the Arts, $100,000 grant to present the American Masterpieces Choral Music Festival
ASCAP Chorus America Alice Parker Award for Adventurous Programming
Chorus America Margaret Hills Achievement Award for Choral Excellence
Recordings
The Chorale has recorded a number of CDs including: All Things Common by Tarik O'Regan, conducted by Robert Istad
The Radio Hour by Jake Heggie, conducted by John Alexander
The Shore and Other Choral Works by Frank Ticheli, conducted by John Alexander
Vespers by Sergei Rachmaninoff, conducted by John Alexander
Christmas Time is Here with Pacific Symphony, conducted by John Alexander
An American Requiem, by Richard Danielpour with Pacific Symphony, conducted by Carl St.Clair
Sweet HarmonyA cappella works performed by the John Alexander Singers with guest soloists, conducted by John Alexander
Nocturne A cappella works by Samuel Barber, Adolphus Hailstork, Eric Whitacre and John Alexander, conducted by John Alexander
Musica American a cappella works, conducted by John Alexander
Pacific Symphony's Fire, Water, Paper: A Vietnam Oratorio, by Elliot Goldenthal conducted by Carl St. Clair
Songs of Eternity by James F. Hopkins and Voices by Stephen Paulus with Pacific Symphony, conducted by John Alexander
Sing Noel with Pacific Chorale Children's Chorus and Pacific Brass Ensemble, conducted by John Alexander
Community and Education Programs
Pacific Chorale’s Choral Festival - Each year, a Festival Chorus of singers from community, school, university, church and temple choirs joins the voices of Pacific Chorale in a free public performance at the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.
Pacific Chorale Academy - An award-winning after-school program provides free weekly choral instruction and youth development at participating sites.
Intro to the Arts – Since 1986, Intro to the Arts has enabled more than ten thousand high school choral music students and social service partners to attend Pacific Chorale concerts free of charge.
Choral Camp – Presented in association with the California State University Fullerton, high school students spend 5 days with a high-energy group of peers who love to sing, learning from top professionals in the industry.
