WELCOME!
The Women’s Chorale of Corning is a regional community of singers drawn together by the shared joy of learning and performing treble music.
JOIN US
We always welcome new singers. Contact us now to learn more about The Women's Chorale.
Fall/Winter Session
Where:
First United Methodist Church
Corning, New York
When:
Wednesdays
7:00 - 9:00 pm
For further information contact:
Wendy Hovey
607-765-8508
Doreen Alsen, Director,
607-342-1004
A BIT OF HISTORY
The Women's Chorale began as a madrigal singing class at 171 Cedar Arts Center in the summer of 1991.
Throughout our long history an inspiring line of directors, collaborators and coaches has helped us expand our musical repertoire and vocal skills. They have included founding mother Jayne Demakos, Elaine Fedchak, Jennifer Haywood, Marianna Raho, Carl Johengen and Sarah Dennis.
The Women's Chorale enjoys collaborating with a variety of other groups and musicians. We have sung with the Women’s Chorale of West High School (Corning), Svitanya (Philadelphia), Women’s Works (Ithaca), and Jubilation! (Hamilton NY). The Women's Chorale was a regular participant in the Festival of Women in the Arts, a Women’s History Month celebration sponsored by the Cantata Singers.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
New York Sings! A Composers’ Symposium
A collaboration among singers, composers, and prominent musicians, this event offered regional composers an opportunity to write music for women’s voices and to hear The Women's Chorale perform them live.
Francisco J. Núñez, Founder and Artistic Director of the Young People’s Chorus of NYC and Glenn McClure, composer, music collaborator, educator and advocate for people with special needs, conducted a composers' master class and chose the best works. These were featured in a public concert by The Women's Chorale.
New York Sings! was made possible with public funds from the New York State Council of the Arts Decentralization Program, administered locally by The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes.
Voices: A Celebration of the Music in All of Us – The Inclusive Choir Project.
We created singing/learning partnerships with adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our goal was for all the participants to experience the joy of singing, while getting to know each other and developing confidence in our skills. Together we learned healthy singing techniques and presented two concerts.
This Inclusive Choir Project was made possible by a grant from the New York State Music Fund, established by the New York State Attorney General and managed by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.
JOIN
THE WOMEN'S
CHORALE
The Women's Chorale calendar is divided into two periods, Fall/Winter and Winter/Spring. Each one concludes with a major concert and sometimes additional performances.
New singers are invited to try out the group during the first two rehearsals.
We make every attempt to make joining The Women's Chorale accessible and affordable. We collect fees, which cover our director's salary, accompanists, and music.
REHEARSALS
Where:
First United Methodist Church
Corning, New York
144 Cedar St.
Corning, NY 14830
When:
Wednesdays
7:00 - 9:00 pm
For further information contact:
Wendy Hovey
607-765-8508
Doreen Alsen, Director,
607-342-1004
Need Directions?
NOTE:
The first two rehearsals are FREE for new singers to “test drive” the ensemble before paying fees.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Doreen Alsen is known for her imaginative programming, emphasizing vocal health and lifelong singing.
Doreen has been teaching singing since 1979, both privately and in the public school setting. She graduated magna cum laude from Barrington College in Barrington, RI in 1979 with a Bachelor of Music Education, concentration in voice and from Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY in 1985 with a Master of Music in Vocal Performance. She studied conducting with Lawrence Doebler while at Ithaca College. She has taught Musical Theater at the Universität Trier in Trier, Germany and studied with Kammersängerin Sena Jurinac in Vienna, Austria.
Doreen has given concerts in Ithaca, NY, Providence, RI, Provincetown, MA, and Trier, Germany and has performed roles with Opera Ithaca, the Cabot Street Light Opera (Providence, RI), and Women’s Works (Ithaca, NY). She has taught singing at Ithaca’s Community School of Music and Arts since 1985 and is the scriptwriter and music director of CSMA’s wildly popular musical theater summer camp, Star Search.
Doreen loves to conduct and has directed several church choirs and school choirs. From 1993 until 2013, she was the Artistic Director and principal conductor for Bella Voce, a women’s chamber chorale in Ithaca.
Doreen Alsen writes romance novels and is published by The Wild Rose Press. Her work includes six novels and one novella. You can learn more about Doreen here.
THE WOMEN'S CHORALE
The Women’s Chorale has been in existence since 1991 and consists of women of all ages who share a passion for singing.
We love the challenge and joy of sharing that passion, and are always open to new members. We explore a wide range of music composed for treble voices.
Our repertoire includes much-loved favorites from around the world, along with lesser-known and original compositions. We have performed music ranging from Hildegard von Bingen to Broadway show tunes.
Our mission is to share the music we love with the widest possible audience, and to develop and promote the universal language of music.
The Women’s Chorale has been in existence since 1991 and consists of women of all ages who share a passion for singing.
We love the challenge and joy of sharing that passion, and are always open to new members. We explore a wide range of music composed for treble voices.
Our repertoire includes much-loved favorites from around the world, along with lesser-known and original compositions. We have performed music ranging from Hildegard von Bingen to Broadway show tunes.
Our mission is to share the music we love with the widest possible audience, and to develop and promote the universal language of music.
A portion of The Women’s Chorale gathered outdoors for a picnic and a vocal warm-up. July 2021
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