The Washington Chorus

Founded in 1961 as the Oratorio Society of Washington, The Washington Chorus (TWC) is noted for its critically-acclaimed performances and recordings of the entire range of the choral repertoire. A cultural leader in the Washington area, The Washington Chorus presents an annual subscription series at the Kennedy Center, the Music Center at Strathmore, and other major venues throughout the Washington D.C. area. The Chorus also frequently appears at the invitation of the National Symphony Orchestra and with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. 

The Chorus was awarded the 2011 ASCAP Alice Parker Award recognizing a chorus programming significant, recently composed music that expands the mission of the chorus and challenges the chorus's audience in a new way. In February 2000 the Chorus, under the direction of former Music Director Robert Shafer, won a Grammy Award for “Best Choral Performance” for its live-performance recording of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem. Other recordings include Christmas with The Washington Chorus, Glorious Splendor, Sing Noel!, Berlioz Requiem, Dvořák’s Stabat Mater, Psalm 149, Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov (nominated for a Grammy in 1988); and the Grammy Award-winning Of Rage and Remembrance by John Corigliano with the National Symphony Orchestra. As a leader in its commitment to community, the Chorus sponsors several educational programs, including the Junior Washington Chorus for teens aged 16-18, and frequently presents free concerts throughout the greater Washington area for special needs groups who may not be able to attend concerts in traditional concert hall settings.