About Us

Who is Saratoga Voices?

Saratoga Voices Inc. 501(c)(3) is a not-for-profit corporation chartered in the State of New York, governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and a paid bookkeeper. Music is under the direction of our professional artistic director. Members of the chorus are volunteers, augmented by paid soloists, accompanist, and instrumentalists. We do not have a formal audition process, but singers are asked to meet with the director to determine vocal placement.

Mission Statement

Saratoga Voices embraces the choral arts within a vibrant, collaborative, and skill-enhancing environment, striving for excellence in choral performances, including diverse music, artists and audiences to share the joy and power of singing.

Did You Know?

Choral singing brings a wide range of benefits, especially physical, psychological, emotional, and social. In America, over 42 million people sing in choirs. Each voice is unique, like a forensic voice print.

OUR STORY

Past and Present

In 1970, Glenn E. Soellner, a dynamic music educator in the Burnt Hills/Ballston Lake school district, founded The Burnt Hills Oratorio Society. His vision was to gather a community of singers and instrumentalists into a vibrant choral organization to perform the great choral master works.

In recent years, the chorus started to diversify its repertoire and broaden the definition of choral arts in the Capital Region. The organization not only found great joy in performing a variety of music, it also attracted a larger audience with more interest in joining the chorus. As skill levels and diversity increased, the organization realized that the old name no longer represented what it was becoming. It was time to change the name to something that was a better fit. Hence the name Saratoga Voices

Future

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Noah Palmer, Saratoga Voices is charting new territory, with an expanded catalog of contemporary works, pieces by composers from under-represented backgrounds, and deeper engagement with the vibrant arts community of Saratoga Springs. Through collaborative projects, newly-commissioned works, and educational programs, Saratoga Voices continues to perform traditional masterworks while boldly expanding into the thriving world of 21st Century choral music.

OUR VISION

Expand

Increase the choral arts repertoire to include musical theater, folk, gospel, a cappella, rock, and world premieres.

Nurture

Highlight the health and social benefits of singing in a large, diverse, and committed choral group.

Innovate

Create state-of-the-art programming with audience participation, multimedia, and visual arts.

Engage

Continue to grow as a vital part of the greater Saratoga region’s artistic and cultural life.

Educate

Provide an educational component with training, resources, and performance opportunities.

Mentor

Mentor school and university choral groups. Feature guest artists from young artist programs.

Cultivate

Nurture appreciation of and support for the choral arts regionally and nationally.

Collaborate

Work as partners with instrumentalists, dancers, and arts organizations to produce unique choral experiences.