The Greater New Haven Community Chorus is committed to its goal of "building community one note at a time" in the Greater New Haven metropolitan area of nearly 900,000 residents (U.S. Census Bureau). The 100-voice chorus, founded in 1963, strives to use music to break down barriers, resolve differences, and transcend borders locally as well as globally.
With concert program themes like Stand Together, a celebration of the global community, and War & Peace-Reflection, Honor and Hope, a concert commemorating the 100th anniversary of the start of WWI and the 75th anniversary of the start of WWII and honoring those who served, their Artistic Director, Noah Blocker-Glynn, aims to connect the art of choral singing with the human experience.
In an effort to make stronger connections with the community, the group partners with the New Haven Police Department to sponsor an annual coat drive, and the chorus collaborates with Christ Church Choir (Guilford) to perform an annual “Choirs for a Cause” concert to raise money for non-profits like Wounded Warrior Project, Doctors Without Borders, and Episcopal Relief & Development Fund. They recently sang the national anthem for the Bridgeport Bluefish baseball game. The group awards an annual Choral Conducting Scholarship to a student currently enrolled in a music degree program who has a strong interest in choral conducting and teaching. Clearly, GNHCC is committed to making choral music relevant
One member explained, “I joined the chorus because I wanted to learn how to sing with other people and to sing harmony. I wanted to learn to be a good alto! I have stayed because of the great eclectic range of interesting and beautiful music we sing each semester; because our director Noah does such a great job of teaching, leading, pushing, and inspiring us; and because the chorus is such a welcoming group to everyone who wants to put in the work to make music."