Choral Arts commissioned nineteen works by American composers. In 1991, Peter Schickele composed Blake's Proverbs in honor of the ensemble's 25th Anniversary, and in 1997, Choral Arts premiered Billy the Kid by Libby Larsen, commissioned jointly with the King’s Singers and the City of Birmingham Chorus (England). In 2009, Choral Arts gave the world premiere performance of a suite of anthems by the prominent African-American composer, Rosephanye Powell, Christmas Give. The world premiere recording of the work on Gothic Records followed in 2010. Four of the six pieces of Christmas Give have been published by two recognized publishers and are now performed by choruses around the country. In 2017 during Tom Hall’s Farewell Concert, the Chorus premiered Caroline Malloneé’s Look for Us Again in honor of Mr. Hall and all of his contributions. Mr. Hall and the ensemble have also given world premieres and first local performances of works by Morten Lauridsen, Samuel Adler, Daniel Pinkham, Robert Sirota, William Mathias, David Conte and many other internationally acclaimed composers. Mr. Hall has programmed at least one major work by an American composer in every one of his 35 seasons as Music Director. In addition, the annual Student Composer Project features the premieres of new works by young composers each season.
Winner, 2003 Alice Parker ASCAP Chorus America Award for Adventurous Programming of Contemporary Music
List of Works
Commissions and World Premieres
Nativity Norman Scribner (1975)
Magnificat Robert Twynham (1979)
Shir Shalom Rav Theodore Morrison (1980)
Three French Songs Theodore Morrison (1981)
Nocturne Theodore Morrison (1981)
An American Medley Gary Fagin (1985)
Blake's Proverbs Peter Schickele (1992)
Ave Maria G. S. Geiger (1994)
*Billy the Kid Libby Larsen (1997)
*Joint Commission with the Kings Singers and the City of Birmingham Chorus (England)
Fanfare: On a Volunteer Singer Theodore Morrison (2006)
Christmas Give Rosephanye Dunn Powell (2009)
Christus Natus Est
Ogo ni fun Oluwa
Have You Seen the Baby Jesus?
Christmas Memories
Ring the Bells
Holy Night
**Three Motets:
Sleep, Little Baby, Sleep Jake Runestad (2013)
Nada te turbe Jake Runestad (2014)
Fear Not, Dear Friend Jake Runestad (2015)
**Joint Commissions with Seraphic Fire (Miami) and Plymouth Music Series (Minneapolis)
Completing the Circle Dale Trumbore (2015)
Bring on the True Wine Joshua Bornfield (2015)
Christmas Carol Jonathan Jensen (2015)
Hallelu Yah! James Lee, III (2016)
Look for Us Now Caroline Malloneé (2017)
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World Premiere Performances
Te Deum Robert Twynham (1984)
The Seasons Scott Watson (1986)
On the Wing Jeffrey Chappell (1988)
Hymn to Holy Wisdom Robert Twynham (1994)
I Sleep, But My Heart is Awake Meade Bernard (2006)
Psalm 23 Thom King (2006)
Psalm 47 Colin Lett (2007)
My Luve’s Like a Red, Red Rose Michael Hopkins-Gross (2007)
A Clean Heart James Lee, III (2009)
I Dream a Dream (Fugue) Dave Brubeck (2011)
In These Times (Sing La La) Ysaye Barnwell (2011)
Scenes from a Heroic Story Anthony Blake Clark (2018)
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Baltimore Premiere Performances
Mass Russell Wollen (1979)
The Fire and the Mountains Moshe Cotel (1983)
Garden Party Daniel Pinkham (1984)
The Star Splitter Elam Sprenkle (1987)
The Joy of Prayer Martin Kalmanoff (1988)
Riddles William Mathias (1989)(with the King's Singers)
Once: In Memoriam Thomas Beveridge (1991)
Martin Luther King
Muero porque no muero Gian Carlo Menotti (1991)
A Christmas Garland Conrad Susa (1991)
Getting to Heaven Daniel Pinkham (1992)
Any Human to Another Samuel Adler (1994)
Veni Sancte Spiritus Robert Twynham (1994)
Alleluia, Amen Kirke Mechem (1995)
Three Motets Robert Sirota (1997)
Songstream Alice Parker (1998)
Pange Lingua Variations Dave Brubeck (1999)
O Magnum Mysterium Morten Lauridsen (1999)
Mass: To Hope! A Celebration Dave Brubeck (2000)
The Gates of Justice Dave Brubeck (2001)
Boogie, 1 A.M. Dave Brubeck (2001)
Lux Aeterna Morten Lauridsen (2001)
Madrigals William Hawley (2002)
Island in Space Kirke Mechum (2002)
Les Chansons des Roses Morten Lauridsen (2002)
Sing for the Cure Various (2002)
Beloved Son Dave Brubeck (2003)
Sing me to Heaven Daniel Gawthrop (2003)
Psalm 23 Russell Nadel (2003)
Psalm 23 Bobby McFerrin (2003)
O Viridissima Virga Janicka Vanderwelde (2003)
Tangueando Oscar Escalada (2003)
Sister Ann Elam Sprenkle (2003)
The Word was God Rosephanye Powell (2003)
Cloudburst Eric Whitacre (2003)
There Will Be Rest Frank Ticheli (2003)
Voices of Light Richard Einhorn (2004)
Come Colours Rise Grant McLachlan (2004)
Astronaut Anthem Meredith Monk (2004)
Psalm 23 Mac Wilberg (2004)
Canticles of Light Bob Chilcott (2005)
Mass: To Hope! Dave Brubeck (2005)
here’s to opening and pward Libby Larsen (2005)
Hope Ysaye Barnwell (2005)
Singing is So GoodThing Kirke Mechem (2006)
Pleasure Malcolm Dalglish (2006)
Sure On This Shining Night Morten Lauridsen (2006)
Lord, We Give Thanks to Thee Undine Smith Moore (2006)
Little Bird Leo Wanenchak (2005)
Sweet Prospect Bob Chilcott (2005)
Pilgrim’s Hymn Stephen Paulus (2006)
Let My People Go Donald McCullough (2006)
Ave Maria Jessica Franchi (2006)
September Sun David Conte (2007)
Dona nobis pacem Carrie Mallonee (2008)
Hymn of the Universe Tina Davidson (2009)
Precious Gift, His Wondrous Birth Dave Brubeck (2009)
O magnum mysterium Renee Clausen (2010)
Jesu Dulcis Memoria Michael Rickelton (2010)
Dreams and Dances Gwyneth Walker (2011)
Five Hebrew Lovesongs Eric Whitacre (2011)
In These Times (Sing La La) Ysaye Barnwell (2011)
Amuworo ayi out nwa Christian Onyeji (2011)
O lux beatissima Howard Helvey (2011)
Sonnet No. LXIV Dominic Argento (2012)
Morning Prayer Douglas Buchanon (2012)
Prayer for Grace Daniel Gawthrop (2012)
Wind Songs Caroline Mallonee (2012)
I Find My Feet Have Further Goals Libby Larsen (2012)
Fortune’s Bones: A Manumission Ysaye Barnwell (2012)
Requiem
There Will be Rest Dale Warland (2013)
Crossing the Bar Gwyneth Walker (2013)
Sure on this Shining Night Renee Clausen (2013)
O Magnum Mysterium Jennifer Higdon (2013)
The Lord Bless You & Keep You Martha Sullivan (2013)
A Carol for All Children Adolphous Hailstork (2013)
Thou Shalt Know Him When Mark Sirett (2013)
He Comes
Ubi Caritas David Conte (2014)
Ubi Caritas Ola Gjeilo (2014)
Hodie/Today on Earth! Carolyn Mallonee (2014)
Canonic Mass Theodore Morrison (2016)
Dark Bells Jonathan Leshnoff (2016)
The Monster in the Maze (U.S. premiere) Jonathan Dove (2019)
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New York Premiere Performance
The Fire and the Mountains Moshe Cotel (1985)
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Premieres in the Student Composer Project
The Carolers at My Door Carrie Mallonée (1990)
Sanctus Howe Lin (1991)
Gloria Carrie Mallonée (1992)
Ma'oz Tsur Alicia Rabins (1993)
Five Haiku Lullabies Daniela Jodorkovsky (1994)
Little Boy Lost Erin Quist (1995)
Salome Arlene Ducao (1998)
Psalm 1 Mark Marinaccio (1998)
Figures of Flame Kala Pierson (1998)
The Silver Vesper Asha Srinivasan (1998)
In the Last Days James Athey (1999)
Je suis la prière qui passe Anouk Erni (2000)
To Reach Salvation Devon Boulware (2001)
Alleluia in Absentia Andrew Kisielius (2001)
Revelation 21:4 Brittany Newsome (2001)
Sanctus Russell Nadel (2001)
Ashreinu Rachel Wasserman (2001)
Introit et Kyrie Julian L. Harris (2002)
Christus Factus Est Jamie Apgar (2002)
Agnus Dei Devon Boulware (2002)
Psalm XXIII Russell Nadel (2002)
Go Lovely Rose Michael Hopkins Gross (2003)
Kyrie Michael Berkowitz (2003)
Down By the Sally Gardens Julian Harris (2003)
Non Sum Dignus Jamie Apgar (2003)
The Prayer of Jabez Jonathan Boulden (2004)
Sanctus Billy Morton (2004)
My Luve’s Like a Red, Red Rose Michael Hopkins Gross (2004)
Mary Had a Baby Andrew Broadwater (2005)
Across the Green Chris Beachy (2005)
When lilacs last in the dooryard Matthew Trojanowski (2005)
Musaf Kedusha Joshua Fishbein (2005)
Benedictum Terrae Myron Kimble (2006)
Alluringly Alliterative Amen Bert Mueller (2006)
Sh’ma Robert Karpay (2006)
Agnus Dei Michael Hopkins-Gross (2006)
These Winds and Thrushes Bert Mueller (2007)
Agnus Dei Jonathan Rubin (2007)
Sleep Cycle, Mvt. 1 Peter Thompson (2007)
The Rose and the Grave Scott AuCoin (2008)
To the Westward Wind Elizabeth Nonemaker (2008)
Keep Me Dale Trumbore (2008)
Orion Sleeps Ben Guo (2008)
Atlantis Disappeared Scott AuCoin (2009)
With Open Wings Tariq Al-Sabir (2009)
O Light and Universal Song Douglas Buchanan (2009)
Let the People Praise Thee Michael Rickelton (2009)
Hope Matthew Johns (2010)
The Tyger Douglas Buchanan (2010)
Separation Christian Whitely (2010)
Jesu Dulcis Memoria Michael Rickelton (2010)
Dune Road Sean Doyle (2011)
Waiting for Wind John Belkot (2011)
Out of the Depths Jake Runestad (2011)
Sultan’s Turret Skylar van Joolen (2011)
Ave Maria Colin Read (2012)
Where Go the Boats Solon Snider (2012)
Kyrie Javier Ledesma (2012)
Kyrie Tyler Workman (2013)
The Ebb Tide Stefan Palen (2013)
Near Jason Charney (2013)
Missa Brevis: Agnus Dei Lucas Link (2014)
When You Are Lost Nicholas Bentz (2014)
One and the Same Eliza Triolo (2014)
What Sweeter Music Jeffrey Martin (2014)
By the River Ledah Finck (2015)
Ave Maris Stella Nicolas P. de Groot (2015)
Making the Year Elliott Grabill (2015)
Kyrie Nathan Cornelius (2016)
The Tree That Plucks the Fruit Peter Drayton (2016)
Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep Cameron Falby (2016)
Tribus Miraculis Gu Wei (2017)
My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun Laura Spence (2017)
The Lord is my Shepard Steve Crino (2017)
only by the form, the pattern Inti Figgis-Vizueta (2018)
The Road Goes Ever On and On Aaron Lieberman (2018)
After Great Pain Madeleine Moran (2018)
Nocturne Zach Gulaboff Davis (2019)
Ave Maria Rebecca Nisco (2019)
The Lord Bless You and Keep You Adam D. O'Dell (2019)