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About Choralis
Choralis is an auditioned symphonic chorus with more than 100 singers. Ēchos is a semi-professional chamber chorus drawn from the Choralis membership. Together they present an annual concert season that features beloved masterworks as well as compelling contemporary voices and lesser-known repertoire.

Recognized for its artistry by reviewers from The Washington Post and other publications, education and mentorship are central to the organization's mission. Choralis provides professional development opportunities for emerging soloists and conductors, offers education and training for young choristers, and extends its impact through community outreach programs that make choral music accessible to a broad audience.

Now under the new artistic leadership of Todd Fickley, Choralis continues to build on the strong legacy established in 2000 by its founder, Gretchen Kuhrmann, while looking toward the future with dynamic programming, exceptional performances, and a continued dedication to artistic excellence and community impact.
Our Mission

We exist to bring choral masterworks to life—creating meaning for audiences of all ages and experience.

We do this with passion and artistic excellence and use these works to connect our patrons and performers to each other and to the revealed majesty of this music.

We prioritize the growth and success of local artists and seek to inspire a love of classical music in the next generation.

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Meet the Team

Board of Directors 

Hollice Looney 

Chair

Scott Carlson

Vice Chair

Janet Hanlon
Treasurer
Marti Olson
Secretary
Gosia Bochenek
Counsel

Derek Walker

Chorus President, ex officio


Tanya Hoffmann

Erich Knausenberger

Julie R. Jernigan

Marcy Owens Test

Advisory Board

Gisele Becker
Music Director, Emerita, Cantate Chamber Singers

William Carroll
Educational Consultant, Hinshaw Music

Bob Chilcott
Composer

Thomas Colohan
Artistic Director, Washington Master Chorale

Dennis Edelbrock

Founder/Director, The National Trumpet Competition

Stan Engebretson

Conductor Laureate, National Philharmonic Chorale

Anne Hodges

Director, Graduate Arts Administration Program, Florida State University

Jean Fritter Jawdat

Independent Arts Consultant

Donald McCullough

Composer and Conductor

Cecilia McDowall

Composer

Mark Ohnmacht

Performing Arts Consultant

Francis Pott

Composer

Robert Shafer

Artistic Director Emeritus, The City Choir of Washington

André Thomas

Associate Artist, London Symphony Orchestra

Scott Tucker

Artistic Director, Washington Men's Camerata; Co-Artistic Director, Washington Douglass Chorale

Val Withams

Choral Connections

Staff

David Welch

Executive Director

(dwelch@choralis.org)

Zain Shariff
Operations Manager
(zshariff@choralis.org)

 

Jeannette Oliver
Chorus Manager
(joliver@choralis.org)

Sarah Damers

Marketing

(sdamers@choralis.org)

Elizabeth Torla

Stage Manager

CONTACT US

Mailing Address: 

The Choralis Foundation
1069 W. Broad St., Suite 754
Falls Church, VA 22046

Office:

The Choralis Foundation 
11710 Plaza America Drive, Suite 200
Reston, VA 20190

(by appointment only—no walk-ins)

Choralis is an IRS-designated 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN:  54-2011798) 

Contact: info@choralis.org

© 2026 Choralis.org

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