TOLEDO, Ohio — Since 1972, Masterworks Chorale has brought a diverse catalog of choral music to Northwest Ohio.
To cap off their 50th anniversary season, the mixed voice ensemble performed at Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Toledo in front of a full house of music lovers.
The group is made up of dozens of area singers, some of whom have been with the group almost since it's founding.
In addition, on Sunday, former directors and members from the past 4 decades not only attended the performance but leant their voices to the chorale to commemorate the anniversary.
“There’s a deep sense of belonging. These are all really well qualified singers and beautiful spirits. To have them all come together in a way that highlights the duration that this has lasted over the years, that’s really special for everybody on stage,” said Tim Cloeter, who has been the artistic director of the ensemble since 2013.
Masterworks Chorale was founded by a mother and son, Rose Mary Locke and Benjamin Locke in an Old West End living room and was originally known as the Benjamin Locke Chorale.
On Sunday, Benjamin Locke conducted one of the pieces at the event, bridging the Chorale's past with its future.
In the last 50 years, Masterworks Chorale has had over 350 members and performed over 1000 unique works, including many that were specifically commissioned for the Chorale.
When asked about Masterworks Chorale’s continued popularity over the past half century, Cloeter gave an elegant answer about the power of the human voice.
“There’s something particularly meaningful about connecting voice and singing with words. When you sing the words, they’re more powerful then when you just speak them and I think that appeals to people in all walks of life,” said Cloeter.
If you want to stay abreast of Masterworks Chorale’s performances in future seasons or if you’d like to find out about auditioning for the chorale, click here.
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