History

The Notre Dame Chorale has over 50 years of history, and we are proud to present it here for all current members, alumni, and patrons of the University's official concert choir. The information seen here has been collected in an ongoing effort to collect, correct, and preserve our history. If you have contributions to make, please email chorale@nd.edu or reach out directly to cbrown64@nd.edu, who is currently overseeing the preservation effort. Thank you for your interest in the Chorale!

Timeline of Events

1972

• The University of Notre Dame admits female students for the first time in its history

1974

• Following Notre Dame's decision to admit women, Glee Club director David Clark "Coach" Isele founds the Chorale, the University's official co-ed concert choir. It is offered as a 1-credit course under the Department of Music and meets for 7 hours per week, compared to the Glee Club's 5 hours per week

1975

• The Notre Dame Chorale, the Glee Club, and the Band perform for President Gerald Ford at a Special Academic Convocation

1977

• The Chorale sings in the University's Baccalaureate Mass for the first time

1980

• The Chorale records its first album, Notre Dame Chorale, on cassette under conductor Douglas K. Belland
• The Indiana Arts Commission and the National Endowmen for the Performing Arts award the Chorale with a grant as part of the touring and outreach program

1981

• Carl Stam, director of the Notre Dame Glee Club, becomes co-director of both the Glee Club and the Notre Dame Chorale
• The Chorale sings Handel's Messiah in the Basilica with the University Chorus and the Sympony Orchestra!

1982

• The Chorale sings as the music accompaniment for the Leadership Prayer Breakfast for the State of Indiana, For Our State Leadership
• The Chorale accompanies American singer Barry Manilow at his first Michiana concert in a closing song
• The Chorale sings for the Stravinsky Centennial Conference held at the University of Notre Dame, in a program consisting of Ave Maria, Pater Noster, Anthem:  The Dove Descending Breaks the Air, and the Stravinsky Mass.

1983

• The Chorale dedicates a concert to the 150th anniversary of Johannes Brahms' birth
• The Belltones, a female barbershop quartet, win first place in the Battle of the Bands. The winning members are singers from the Chorale

1984

• While on tour, the Chorale visits the Boston Conservatory of Music, associated with the Berklee College of Music
• Count Geiden of the A.N. Geiden family of Paris bestows Carl Stam and the Chorale with the title of Chevaliers of the Gold Laurels, Azur Class for their performance of Handel's Messiah in Sacred Heart Church. Other individuals who have received these orders include Wagner, Tolstoi, and Tchaikovsky. Nominations are based on musical, artistic, literary, scientific, and educational excellence

1985

• The Chorale appears on television for the Chicago Sunday Evening Club on WTTW, Chicago Channel 11
• The Chorale and Chamber Orchestra perform Johann Sebastian Bach's B Minor Mass (BMW 232) in honor of the 300th anniversary of his birth

1987

• The Chorale sings the Notre Dame fight song for the end of Fr. Hesburgh's valdecitory address and retirement ceremony. An estimated 41,000 television viewers watched the performance

1988

• The Chorale, the Glee Club, and the South Bend Symphonic Choir join the South Bend Symphony in performing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony

1989

• The Chorale holds its first ever Alumni Runion Concert celebrate its 15th year of existence. Dr. David Clark Isele joins along with former members of the ensemble to perform for the final portion of the concert

1990

• The Chorale creates an Alumni Newsletter to announce Chorale happenings and share big events from former members, such as graduations, marriages, births, and of course, membership in other choirs

1991

• The Chorale and the South Bend Symphony Orchestra open the One Hundred Years of Catholic Social Thought conference with a concert in the Basilica

1992

• Director Mark Ring founds the Notre Dame Chamber Choir, a sub-set of the Chorale, to perform vocal chamber music from the Renaissance, Romantic, and contemporary periods

1993

• The Chorale sings to a sold-out gala benefit concert at Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Texas, christening a new orchestra hall.
• Alexander Blachly becomes director of the Notre Dame Chorale, beginning a 32-year tenure

1994

• The Chorale and Symphony Orchestra collect an admission fee for the Messiah concert in order to raise money for the Center for the Homeless and the Music Department Scholarship Fund

1999

• Jennifer Ehren, who sang in Chorale and was Secretary for 3 years, graduates as the Notre Dame valedictorian

2011

• The Chorale sings "Christe qui lux es et dies" for Pope Benedict XVI at the General Papal Audience of 100,000 people while in Rome

2015

• The Chorale, the Saint Mary's College Women's Choir, and the Glee Club join the South Bend Symphony Orchestra to perform Beethoven's Ninth Symphony
• Robert Hobby, Chorale accompanist from 1985 to 1987, writes Tu Es Petrus and Alleluia! Sing to Jesus, arrangements that are used during Pope Francis's evening prayer service in St. Patrick's Cathedral and at the Mass in Madison Square Garden

2018

• The Chorale, the Saint Mary's College Women's Choir, and the Glee Club join the South Bend Symphony Orchestra to perform Verdi's Requiem Mass

Past Leadership

To see a growing list of past directors, accompanists, presidents, and vice presidents, visit our Past Leadership page which can be found under the People tab on the About page.

For Alumni

If you have any additional contributions to make to our history, such as providing the names of past presidents or suggesting events to add to our timeline, please email chorale@nd.edu, or reach out directly to our vice president, Cozette Brown, at cbrown64@nd.edu. Thank you for your commitment to preserving the history of the Chorale!