Thank you for supporting the Choralis Foundation’s  2025 Gala and Greater Washington DC Area Choral Excellence (“Ovation”) Awards program on May 3rd at the Fairview Park Marriott in Falls Church, Virginia. We hope you agree it was a fun and inspiring evening to celebrate the contributions of the DC choral community.

 

The photo gallery is now available for you to view and download mementos of the gala:

https://donlassell.zenfolio.com/f488579063; please note that these photos are complimentary (close the “visit shop” pop-up that appears on the site). Question for the photographer can be addressed to lassell@verizon.net.

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A special thanks also to guest emcee Ms. Nicole Lacroix, celebrated afternoon host at WETA 90.9 FM, and to the presenters of the awards. Most of all congratulations to the award winners on May 3, recapped below:

• Catherine Dehoney, former President and CEO of Chorus America, was presented the prestigious J. Reilly Lewis Award for Outstanding Contributions to Choral Music by last year’s winner Neeta Helms, president and CEO of Classical Movements;

• The Ovation award for “Best 2024-25 Collaboration” was presented by Victoria Gau of Cantate to Margaret Nomura Clark of the Children’s Chorus of Washington; 

• The Ovation Award for “Best Symphonic Chorus” was presented by David Brian Lang of the Reston Chorale to Eugene Rogers of The Washington Chorus; and 

• The Ovation Award for “Exemplary Community Engagement” was presented by Dr. Ingrid Lestrud of the Arlington Chorale to Anthony Tambasco, Board President of Encore Creativity for Older Adults.

 

We are grateful for all our guests who bid on and won items at the Silent Auction. Questions about donations or winning certificates can be addressed to Lisbeth Bagnold at bagnoldl@gmail.com.

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Personal letters acknowledging the tax-deductible portion of your gala support (ticket purchase, auction donations or bids above the MRV) are being prepared by Choralis volunteers and will be issued in June. 

Most of all, thank you from the Choralis family for your part in this celebration. And, mark your calendars for the 2026 Choralis Gala and Ovation Awards, which will be held on Saturday May 2, 2026!