Los Angeles Master Chorale | Walt Disney Concert Hall

FROM OUR PRESIDENT & CEO

APRIL 2022

Over the past month, the Los Angeles Master Chorale has been enjoying a whirlwind of acclaim and activity that has been incredibly uplifting. Our GALA 2022 in March was a stirring tribute to Grant Gershon, Kiki & David Gindler Artistic Director, and the legacy he has created here at the Chorale. A moving tribute from Esa-Pekka Salonen, who helped Grant get his start as a conductor, was a highlight of our gala concert, while the auction at our post-concert dinner raised tens of thousands of dollars for our education programs. Not surprisingly, GALA 2022 was our most successful gala ever, raising over $750,000. Thank you to all of you who supported the event and attended.

The day after our gala, the Los Angeles Times posted a profile of Grant by Jessica Gelt, which (accurately) probed the ways he has transformed our ensemble into “one of the most adventurous, boundary-pushing and admired choirs in the country.” Only two weeks later, the Times would release another glowing article on the Chorale by Mark Swed calling us “the finest-by-far major chorus in America.” This week we are honored to be featured in a piece by Alex Ross in The New Yorker.

And we can’t forget the awards! Last weekend, the Chorale, joined by the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, National Children’s Chorus, and Pacific Chorale, won its first Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance on the LA Phil’s recording of Mahler’s Symphony No. 8. Congratulations to Grant, Associate Artistic Director Jenny Wong, and our amazingly talented singers! Earlier this month, Chorus America announced that Grant will receive its Michael Korn Founders Award for Development of the Professional Choral Art lifetime achievement honor at the June Chorus America conference.

We have much to be proud of and thankful for, and these accolades are a testament to how much the Chorale has grown under Grant’s 20 years of artistic leadership. We hope that you’ll continue to support us so we can continue to transform the world of choral music. There’s so much more to come.

—Jean Davidson, President & CEO 

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