named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
A Vocális Christmas
Annual holiday concert series performed in multiple venues, offering family-friendly choral music in celebration of the Christmas season.
Bob Chilcott Residency
Three-day educational and performance residency with renowned composer Bob Chilcott, including high school choral workshops, a community "come and sing" event, and a public concert.
Choral Connections Buffalo
Community sing event and workshop that brings together local voices to celebrate Buffalo’s musical legacy, featuring works by local composers and conductors.
International Tour
2014 tour of England featuring performances at Southwark Cathedral, Grosvenor Chapel Mayfair, Ely Cathedral, and the Cambridge Summer Music Festival.
Subscription Concert Series
Annual season of four choral concerts performed in venues across Buffalo and Amherst, NY, featuring repertoire from all eras including works by J.S. Bach and contemporary composers.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Commissioning New Musical Works 2 activities
- Commissioning and premiering new choral worksCommissions original choral compositions from living composers, including recent works by Andrew Smith, Caroline Mallonee, Michael Slon, Don Macdonald, Joanne Metcalf, Carlos Cordero, and Robert Paterson, and presents world premieres such as "Welcome!" by Don Macdonald in June 2022.
- Hosting composer residencies and collaborative eventsHosts renowned choral composers such as Ola Gjeilo, Bob Chilcott, Jake Runestad, and Malcolm J. Merriweather for multi-day residencies involving workshops, rehearsals, and public performances, including collaborations at major venues like Merkin Hall in New York City.
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Classical and Chamber Music Performances 2 activities
- Performing international toursConducted its first international tour in summer 2014, performing in major English venues including Southwark Cathedral, Grosvenor Chapel Mayfair, Ely Cathedral, the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, and the Cambridge Summer Music Festival, including Evensong services and commemorative concerts.
- Presenting a cappella choral concertsPerforms a cappella music from all eras in intimate concert settings, primarily in Buffalo, New York, including subscription series concerts held in architectural and cultural landmarks. The choir cultivates awareness and appreciation of choral singing as an art form through these performances.
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Music Education and Training Programs 1 activity
- Conducting educational outreach with studentsEngages high school choral students through workshops and joint performances, including a 2018 event with over 150 students from Amherst, Lancaster, and Starpoint High Schools to explore the music of Bob Chilcott, co-hosted with Hamburg High School.
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Community Choral Rehearsals & Performances 1 activity
- Organizing community sing eventsHosts community "Come and Sing" events that include choral warm-ups, workshops, and rehearsals, inviting adults and students from Western New York and Southern Ontario to perform alongside the choir in season finale concerts under guest conductors such as Jake Runestad and Malcolm J. Merriweather; one event in 2022 hosted approximately 150 participants.
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Nonprofit Music Recording and Distribution 1 activity
- Producing professional recordings of choral musicProduces and distributes professionally recorded a cappella albums and live concert DVDs, including a 2017 live-recorded Christmas concert DVD.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$74K
Contributions & grants$47K63%
Program service revenue$21K29%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$84K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$4K
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$16K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$16K
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -6.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Burritt | Director | 10 | $4K |
relationships · 50
Who they work with
- Amherst High School Concert Chorale Partner — Collaborated in choral workshop and joint concert during Bob Chilcott residency
- Brooklyn College of the City University of New York Partner — Malcolm J. Merriweather serves as Professor of Music at Brooklyn College and was featured as guest conductor with Vocális Chamber Choir.
- Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts Chamber Choir Partner — Collaborated with Vocális Chamber Choir in a community sing event and season finale concert.
- Buffalo Chamber Players Partner — Performed with the Buffalo Chamber Players
- Buffalo Girlchoir Partner — Presented programs in collaboration with Buffalo Girlchoir
- Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Partner — Performed with members of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
- Buffalo String Works Partner — Presented programs in collaboration with Buffalo String Works
- Burchfield Penney Art Center Partner — Presented programs in collaboration with the Burchfield Penney Art Center
- Cullen Foundation Funder — Cultural funding partner supporting the choir's mission
- Cullen Foundation Funder — Cultural funding partner supporting the choir's mission.
- Cullen Foundation Funder — Provided cultural funding support to Vocális Chamber Choir.
- Cullen Foundation Funder — Provides cultural funding support to Vocális Chamber Choir.
- Cullen Foundation Funder — Provides cultural funding to Vocális Chamber Choir
- Cullen Foundation Funder — Provides cultural funding to support the choir's mission.
- Cullen Foundation Funder — Provides financial support to Vocális Chamber Choir
- Cullen Foundation Funder — Provides financial support to Vocális Chamber Choir.
- Erie County Government — Government entity providing legislative and financial support
- Erie County Government — Government entity providing legislative and financial support.
- Erie County Government — Provides legislative support for cultural funding to Vocális Chamber Choir.
- Erie County Government — Provides public support through legislative funding.
- Grand Island HS Concert Choir Partner — Collaborated with Vocális Chamber Choir in a community sing event and season finale concert.
- Greater Buffalo Friends of Music Partner — Presented programs in collaboration with Greater Buffalo Friends of Music
- Hamburg High School Partner — Co-hosted a workshop with Vocális Chamber Choir for high school choral students and jointly performed in a concert featuring the works of Ola Gjeilo.
- Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Partner — Hosted the community sing event with Jake Runestad in Buffalo
- Immaculata Academy Partner — Participated with Vocális Chamber Choir in a workshop on the interpretation of Ola Gjeilo’s compositions.
- Lancaster High School Concert Choir Partner — Collaborated in choral workshop and joint concert during Bob Chilcott residency
- Lewiston-Porter High School Partner — Collaborated with Vocális Chamber Choir in a workshop and performance event featuring the works of Ola Gjeilo.
- Music Niagara Festival Partner — Performed at the Music Niagara Festival in Ontario, Canada
- New York Philharmonic Chorus Partner — Malcolm J. Merriweather serves as Director of the New York Philharmonic Chorus and was featured as guest conductor with Vocális Chamber Choir.
- New York Polyphony Partner — Collaborated with GRAMMY-nominated vocal ensemble New York Polyphony
+ 20 more
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Arts Education Through Intimate Performancemethodology: arts-education-through-performanceBy presenting intimate and emotionally engaging a cappella concerts, the choir inspires, educates, and cultivates public appreciation for choral music, because close artistic encounters enhance audience connection and understanding of the art form.
- Composer-Performer Collaboration for Artistic Depthmethodology: composer-performer collaborationBy facilitating direct collaboration between performers and living composers, the choir deepens musical interpretation and artistic authenticity, because firsthand engagement with creators enhances performers’ understanding of the creative intent.
- Inclusive Repertoire as Cultural Visionmethodology: inclusive-repertoire-curationBy centering works from historically marginalized and contemporary composers, the choir promotes inclusion and broadens cultural understanding, because representation in repertoire fosters a more accurate and empathetic vision of shared humanity.