About the Santa Barbara Master Chorale
The Santa Barbara Master Chorale, a community volunteer organization, was formed in 1984 to perform major choral works with full orchestral accompaniment. Now in its 25th season, the Chorale continues to present the finest choral music from the 16th century to the present.
The Chorale is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation, administered by a working board of directors. Our income is derived from ticket sales, concert program advertising, grants from public and private foundations, and donations from generous individuals.
Our music director and rehearsal accompanist are professional musicians, as are the orchestral musicians and vocal soloists who join us for our concerts.
Steven R. Hodson, our conductor, is past president of the Western Division of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), which encompasses California, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona, and past president of California ACDA. He enjoys directing honor choirs and adjudicating choir festivals around the Western region. He is currently a professor of music at Westmont College, where his duties have included directing the New Sounds jazz and world music group, the Chamber Singers, and the Westmont College Choir, as well as teaching piano, organ, music survey, conducting, and church music. more about Steven Hodson and our rehearsal accompanist
The Orchestra
It's a source of pride for Chorale members that each concert is enriched by the full orchestra appropriate for the works presented. The musicians are professionals from Santa Barbara and the Greater Los Angeles area who play with symphonies, in musical theater orchestras, and in motion picture musical score ensembles and orchestras. Orchestra members are paid with funds generated by sales of tickets to concerts, the fundraising activities of SBMC members, and from the generous donations of individuals and organizations.
Young Concertgoers Program
To introduce young people to the wonder of classical choral music, we offer free tickets to music teachers to bring their students to our concerts. We hope to encourage these youngsters to become the musicians, singers, and music audiences of the future and carry forward our great musical tradition. For more information on this program, call 805-682-6516.