The not-for-profit group is composed of more than 120 volunteers, who range from fine arts educators to engineers to retired astronauts.
The group will present "Illuminare: Light Up the World" at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church on Upper Bay Road at its May 5 spring concert, with aims to enrich the community through song.
Development Director Jessica Peterson’s son participated in the music camp the organization financially supports last summer. This is how she heard about and eventually became involved in the Bay Area Chorus, she said.
In addition to concerts, the group offers scholarships to high school graduates looking to continue their education in music, provides stipends to local band and choir directors, and has a donation-based group called Spirtus that performs at nursing homes and other such venues, Peterson said.
“You may have a student that, maybe they're not as academically strong, but music gives them that creative outlet that they need,” Peterson said. “They're able to have a sense of community, working with other people that are like-minded who have the same passion for music that they do.”
The impact
Barry Talley, artistic director for the chorus, said he’s had familial connections to the ensemble since 1980 that culminated into mentorship from previous director Milton Pullen—who retired from the position in 2023.
“[These] three groups can compete with many of the groups you might find downtown Houston or across our metro area,” Talley said. “The beauty of it is that these groups are right here in our local community, and access to performances are easily accessible and reasonably priced.”
