The Short Version
Northwest Chamber Chorus (NWCC) has been around since 1968 when Peter Seibert and some friends put together a small ensemble to make music for themselves and their friends. The chorus evolved in the 1970s under the leadership of Joan Conlon into the non-profit, concert-giving arts organization that it is today. If you want the complete story, see the archived, longer version (written by founding member Otis Pease):
Over the decades, the chorus’s mission has evolved. In the 1970s, the idea was to bring great classics of choral history to Seattle audiences. In the 2010s, the focus changed to a more-inclusive kind of programming, with an emphasis on American Folk and Spiritual compositions blended in performances of more traditional classical repertoire. Looking ahead to the 2020s, the choir is expanding the diversity of our repertoire.
Director History
| YEARS | ARTISTIC DIRECTOR |
|---|---|
| 1968-1971 | Peter Siebert |
| 1972-1983 | Joan Catoni Conlon |
| 1984 | Kenneth DeJong (acting) |
| 1985-1990 | Joan Catoni Conlon |
| 1991-1992 | Robert Scandrett (acting) |
| 1993-1995 | Joan Catoni Conlon |
| 1996 | Fredrick Lokken (acting); Steven Demorest (acting); Roger Nelson (acting) |
| 1997-2001 | Steven Demorest |
| 2001 | Judy Filibeck (acting) |
| 2001-2002 | Steven Demorest |
| 2003 | Kia Sams (acting); Sheila Bristow (acting); Steven Demorest |
| 2004 | Sheila Bristow (interim) |
| 2005 | David Anderson (acting); Mark Kloepper (acting); Ron Bayer (acting) |
| 2006-2018 | Mark Kloepper |
| 2018 (Fall) | Elisabeth Cherland (guest conductor) |
| 2019-2023 | Mark Kloepper |
| 2023-present | Jeremy Edelstein |
Repertoire
The Northwest Chamber Chorus has performed an extensive repertoire of music dating from the Medieval period to the 21st century. Below is a link to our repertoire tracking document that shows all performances since the chorus was founded in 1968.