Our History
In the olden days, everybody sang; You were expected to sing as well as talk.
It was the mark of the cultured man to sing. To know music.
-Leonard Bernstein
In July 2010 the Choral Arts Society (founded in 1937 as the Ossining Music Guild) and the Westchester Concert Singers (founded in 1955 as the Pleasantville Cantata Singers) merged into the 70-voice Hudson Chorale. For many decades both of these ensembles enjoyed reputations throughout the Hudson Valley for their beautiful interpretations of choral works of all periods and for their high standards of professionalism. The merger of the two choruses marked not only the birth of a powerful new choral ensemble, but an exciting moment in Westchester for both choral musicians and their audiences.
After leading us for five years, our brilliant conductor Ira Spalding announced that our Spring 2020 concert would be his last before he retired to Spain. Our Assistant Director David Baranowski was enthusiastically selected as his natural successor. Unfortunately, of course, the pandemic cancelled the Spring 2020 concert and David (Mr. Baranowski) faced an entirely new musical landscape. Most fortunately, he has shown himself to be as adept with technology as he is with music and has led us forward with an indefatigable spirit. Read more about our director on our Artists page. Past concert details are found below.
Be sure to also check out our current concert series!
Past Events
2020
“Hudson Chorale Goes Classic”
Saturday, January 25, 2020 and Sunday, January 26, 2020
The Maryknoll Chapel, Ossining, NY
Ira Spaulding, Conductor
Ave Verum Corpus by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mass in C, Opus 86 by Ludwig von Beethoven
Paukenmesse (Mass in Time of War) by Joseph Haydn
2019
“In Paradisium”
Saturday, January 26, 2019 and Sunday, January 27, 2019
The Maryknoll Chapel, Ossining, NY
Ira Spaulding, Conductor
Requiem by Gabriel Fauré
A cappella motets by composers including Bruckner, Brahms and Felix Mendelssohn
“Psalms,Quartets and Waltzes”
Friday, May 17, 2019 and Sunday, May 19, 2019
Pleasantville Presbyterian Church, Pleasantville, NY
Ira Spaulding, Conductor
Symphony of Psalms by Stravinsky
Quartets, Op. 92 and Liebeslieder Waltzes by Brahms
Four Slavic Folk Songs by Bartok
2018
Die Schöpfung (The Creation) 
Saturday, January 27, 2018 and Sunday, January 28, 2018
The Maryknoll Chapel, Ossining, NY
Ira Spaulding, Conductor
Die Schöpfung (The Creation) by Franz Joseph Haydn, with soloists and full orchestra
“A Celebration of America”
June 1, 2018 and June 3, 2018
Pleasantville Presbyterian Church, Pleasantville, NY
Ira Spaulding, Conductor
Celebrations by Vincent Persichetti
Porgy & Bess Highlights by Gershwin
Plus two world premieres by Robert Convey
2017
“Requiem”
Friday, June 2, 2017 and Sunday, June 4, 2017
St. John the Evangelist Church, White Plains, NY
Ira Spaulding, Conductor
Requiem by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with soloists and full orchestra
Funeral Music for Queen Mary by Henry Purcell, with brass and timpani
Darthulas Grabesgesang by Johannes Brahms
Crucifixus by Antonio Lotti
Carols of Death by William Schuman
Plus Negro Spirituals
“Variations on a Text”
Friday, January 27, 2017 and Sunday, January 29, 2017
The Chapel at Maryknoll, Ossining, NY
Ira Spaulding, Conductor
Settings of the Ave Maria
by Verdi, Rutter, de Victoria, Mäntyjärvi, Biebl, and Stravinsky
Te Deum
by Britten, Haydn
O Magnum Mysterium
by de Victoria, Poulenc
Sicut Cervus (Latin) by Palestrina
Like As the Hart Desireth the Waterbrook (English) by Howell
Plus organ solos by David Baranowski
Litanies – Jehan Alain
Cortège et Litanie – Marcel Dupré
See News Article for Complete Concert Details
2016
Felix Mendelssohn – Elijah
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Irvington Middle/High School
Irvington, NY
Ira Spaulding, Conductor
“Cathedral Classics”
Sunday, January 24, 2016
White Plains Presbyterian Church
39 N. Broadway, White Plains, NY
Ira Spaulding, Conductor
Program:
Requiem – Maurice Duruflé
4 Motets – Francis Poulenc
Deux Melodies Hebraiques – Maurice Ravel
O Sacrum Convivium – Olivier Messiaen with organ
2015
“American Voices – Part II “
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Irvington Middle/High School
Irvington, NY
Michael Conley, Conductor
Program:
Americana – Randall Thompson/American Mercury Magazine
Four Pastorales – Cecil Effinger/Thomas Hornsby Ferril
Alleluia – Paul Basler
This Bequest of Wings – Michael Conley/Emily Dickinson
“Glorious Colors of Chorus and Brass”
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Irvington Middle/High School
Irvington, NY
Michael Conley, Conductor
Program:
Antiphon – Ralph Vaughan Williams
Three Renaissance motets, scored for “double chorus”
of voices and brass – Heinrich Schutz, Giovanni Gabrieli,
Ruggiero Giovannelli
Missa in Sono Tubae – Trond Kverno
An American Medley – Stephen Paulus
2014
“War and Peace”
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Irvington Middle/High School
Irvington, NY
Michael Conley, Conductor
Program:
Missa in Angustiis – Franz Joseph Haydn
Dona Nobis Pacem – Ralph Vaughan Williams
David Baranowski, Organ
“American Voices”
Saturday, January 25 and Sunday, January 26, 2014
Pleasantville Presbyterian Church
Pleasantville, NY
Michael Conley, Conductor
Program:
The Last Words of David, Frostiana, and Alleluia by Randall Thompson
with additional works by David L. Brunner, Norman Dello Joio
and premiering
Tudor Triptych by Michael Conley
2013
“Beethoven!”
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Irvington Middle/High School
Irvington, New York
Michael Conley, Conductor
Featuring Chorus, Soloists, and Full Orchestra
Program:
Mass in C
“Hallelujah” from Christus am Ölberge
Highlights from Fidelio
Choral Fantasy
with David Baranowski, piano
“On Strings of Song”
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Scarborough Presbyterian Church
Briarcliff Manor, New York
Michael Conley, Conductor
Program:
Jesu Meine Freude – Felix Mendelssohn
Missa Brevis in D Minor – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Behold, I Build a House – Lukas Foss
Five Hebrew Love Songs – Eric Whitacre
Choruses from Porgy and Bess – Gershwin
A Little Night Music – Stephen Sondheim
2012
“Mass in D”
for chorus and orchestra
by John Knowles Paine
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Irvington Middle/High School, Irvington, New York
Michael Conley, Conductor
2011
“Carols and Lullabies”
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Dobbs Ferry Middle/High School, Dobbs Ferry, NY
Michael Conley, Conductor
Program:
O Magnum Mysterium – Giovanni Gabrieli
Four Songs for Women’s Chorus – Johannes Brahms
There is Sweet Music Here – Stephen Chatman
O Magnum Mysterium – Morten Lauridsen
O Magnum Mysterium – Michael Conley
Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind – Stephen Chatman
Carols and Lullabies: Christmas in the Southwest – Conrad Susa
“Myths and Meditations”
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Irvington High School, Irvington, NY
Michael Conley, Conductor
Program:
Acis and Galatea: Overture and Opening Chorus – Georg Frederic Handel
Pastoral: Lie Strewn the White Flocks – Sir Arthur Bliss
with Sato Moughalian/Flute
The Lark Ascending – Ralph Vaughan Williams
with Deborah Buck/Violin
Lux Aeterna with orchestra – Morten Lauridsen
“Heaven’s Harmony”
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Horace Greeley High School, Chappaqua, NY
Michael Conley, Conductor
Program:
Requiem with two pianos – Johannes Brahms
Love Alone – Ned Rorem
Magnificat (from the Dante Symphony) – Franz Liszt
