In 1990 a group of singers, dedicated to choral music and the idea that Clatsop County deserved the best, banded together with the sole purpose of sharing their passion for music with the community through the offering of choral concerts.  During its many continuous years of existence, the North Coast Chorale has had the opportunity of being led by very talented and dedicated directors.  At present the group is led by Denise Reed.

 

The Mission of the North Coast Chorale is to be a welcoming, community-based non-profit organization dedicated to the presentation of great choral literature and committed to the promotion of music education. 

 

Over the years, the Chorale has been affiliated with Clatsop Community College in Astoria, Oregon, and students who become members receive college credits for participating.  Previously, the Chorale has also fostered and supported the Clatsop County Children’s Chorus, which performed separate and combined music with the Chorale.

   

The Chorale’s Concert Repertoire has included: “Amahl and the Night Visitors”, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor DreamCoat”, the Bach and Rutter “Magnificats”.  Rutter’s “Mass of the Children”, “The Armed Man – A Mass for Peace”, Robert Ray’s “Gospel Mass”, A large selection of Spirituals and Jazz compositions, Opera choruses, The Libestlieder Waltzes, Benjamin Britten’s “A Ceremony of Carols,” Mendelssohn’s “Elijah”, Handel’s “Messiah” in its entirety, and Folk Songs of many ethnic groups. For the its 25th Anniversary celebration, the Chorale commissioned “The Voyage,” a composition by local composer Barbara Poulshock that depicts life on the Columbia River through the poetry of significant American Poets such as Emily Dickenson.