First discussed in 2008 and incorporated in 2010, the New Jersey Choral Consortium is an association created to help Garden State choral organizations develop and grow by sharing information, fostering cooperation and supporting choral arts education. The Consortium promotes public awareness, understanding and appreciation of choral music.

A Brief History of the New Jersey Choral Consortium

In 2008 several choruses in the Morris and Union County area came together to explore the idea of a choral consortium in New Jersey.  The group believed that such a consortium would serve as a forum where community choruses could meet, compare repertoire and concert dates, and work together so that all choruses would share information and learn from each other.  A task force was appointed to explore criteria for membership, recommend a name, and research information about incorporation. 

Follow-up meetings attracted additional choruses from other counties.  Participants agreed that the group should be as inclusive as possible, allowing all community choruses, including children’s choirs. The group also agreed that the Consortium should be conceived as a loose knit statewide organization, breaking into smaller units geographically as appropriate for advertising, marketing, logistics, and so on.  The consortium was further defined, its mission and by-laws written, and a web site set up over the course of the next year. 

In September 2009, a board of directors was appointed, with three members to serve as initial officers of the organization:  as President, Steven A. Russell of the New Jersey Gay Men’s Chorus; as Treasurer, Kathleen Hannan of Masterwork Chorus; and as Secretary, Rhoda Wolin of Coro Lirico.  The New Jersey Choral Consortium was incorporated in the state in March 2010 and has achieved  501c3 status as a nonprofit corporation.

In November 2011, the Board elected new officers:  Thomas Juneau of Summit Chorale as President; John Palatucci of the Orpheus Club Men's Chorus as Vice President; Ed Nace of the Greater South Jersey Chorus as Secretary; and Kathleen Hannan of Masterwork Chorus as Treasurer.

Other members of the NJCC Board of Directors include:  Marina Alexander, Artistic Director of Arcadian Chorale; Laura Babcock, Executive Vice President of the New Jersey Choral Society; Ruth Lanza, President of Cantabile Chamber Chorale; Steven Russell, Artistic Director of the New Jersey Gay Men's Chorus; and Rhoda Wolin, Executive Director of Coro Lirico.

The consortium currently has 33 member choruses from all over New Jersey, representing choirs of all types and sizes—SATB, women’s, men’s, professional, and children’s choirs.  The consortium welcomes new members from choral groups statewide. Chorus representatives include chorus music directors, executive directors, board members and committee members responsible for key activities.