25/26 Season Review

The season officially opened in November 2025 with DRAW ON, SWEET NIGHT, a mostly a cappella program described by audiences as full of “luminous sound and emotional depth.” Drawing inspiration from poetry, verse, and the shifting beauty of dusk and twilight, the repertoire explored themes of romance, reflection, and the many emotions that emerge as day gives way to night.

The Valley’s favorite holiday tradition, A CHORALE CHRISTMAS, returned in December 2025 under the direction of Guest Conductor Dr. Edith Copley, a figure deeply woven into Arizona’s choral legacy. Performances delighted audiences with seasonal favorites, a “Snow-a-Long” audience sing-along, and two sold-out venues. The concert was also rebroadcast on Christmas Eve by Classical Arizona PBS through Arizona Encore♪.

In January 2026, Phoenix Chorale presented TRANSCENDENCE with orchestra at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. Featuring 99 performing artists, the program offered a sweeping choral-orchestral experience and welcomed composer Rebecca Dale to Arizona for the United States premiere of her cinematic choral symphony, When Music Sounds.

The season continued in April 2026 with CHANT AND POLYPHONY, presented in collaboration with chant specialists Floriani. Two performances in the reverent setting of Trinity Cathedral in Phoenix, with a special appearance in Tucson at the Cathedral of St. Augustine, explored the rich musical traditions of chant and sacred polyphony in reverent and inspiring settings.

Following the conclusion of the subscription season, Phoenix Chorale presented the special bonus performance BLOOM at the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM). Curated and conducted by Associate Conductor Tom Peterson, the one-night-only performance featured a “bouquet” of ten Chorale singers in the MIM Music Theater.