{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox choir | name = Houston Chamber Choir | image = File:Houston Chamber Choir 2017-04-08.jpg | image_size = 270 px | alt = | caption = Houston Chamber Choir, April 2017 | origin = Houston, Texas, United States | founding = {{Start date and age|1995|||p=yes}} | founder = Robert Simpson | disbanding = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}} --> | genre = {{flatlist| *Renaissance *Baroque *Classical *Romantic *Modern }} | members = | artistic director = Betsy Cook Weber | affiliation = | associated groups = | influences = | awards = List of awards and accolades | website = {{URL|http://houstonchamberchoir.org/}} }}
The '''Houston Chamber Choir''' is a professional chamber choir based in Houston, Texas. It was founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Robert Simpson.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://houstonchamberchoir.org/mission-history/ |title=Mission & History |last= |first= |date= |website=Houston Chamber Choir |publisher= |access-date=15 December 2017 |quote= |archive-date=15 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215221634/https://houstonchamberchoir.org/mission-history/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The ensemble annually presents an eight-concert series of diverse, innovative choral programming throughout the Houston region. In 2024, internationally acclaimed conductor Dr. Betsy Cook Weber was appointed Artistic Director Designate, and joined forces with Artistic Director Robert Simpson to lead the choir's landmark 30th season. Weber began her tenure as Artistic Director in 2025.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/entertainment/music/article/houston-chamber-choir-18655869.php |title=Robert Simpson to retire from Houston Chamber Choir, which he founded 30 years ago |last=Dansby |first=Andrew |date=February 8, 2024 |website=Houston Chronicle |publisher= |access-date=14 May 2025 |quote=}}</ref>
They have appeared nationally at the American Choral Directors Association convention, the Chorus America convention, Spoleto Festival USA, Trinity Church in Manhattan, and Yale University. The choir also has toured internationally in Mexico and Wales.
==Recordings== {{bulleted list | ''The Blue Estuaries: American Choral Music'' (Zephyr, 2001) | ''Ravishingly Russian'' (MSR Classics, 2009) | ''Psalmi ad Vesperas'' (MSR Classics, 2012) | ''Soft Blink of Amber Light'' (MSR Classics, 2015) | ''Rothko Chapel: Morton Feldman, Erik Satie, John Cage'' (ECM, 2015) | ''Behold the Star! Christmas at the Villa'' (2018) | ''Duruflé: Complete Choral Works'' (Signum Classics, 2019) - Grammy Winner<ref>{{cite web|date=January 26, 2020|title=62nd Annual Grammy Awards|url=https://www.grammy.com/artists/robert-simpson/252141|access-date=1 April 2025|website=GRAMMY.com|language=en}}</ref> | ''Bob Chilcott: Circlesong'' (Signum Classics, 2022) | ''Daniel Knaggs: Two Streams'' (Capella Romana, 2023) | ''The Joyful Mysteries: Choral Symphony and Other Works by Daniel Knaggs'' (Acis, 2024) }}
==Collaborations== <!-- This list should be maintained in alphabetical order by last name --> The Houston Chamber Choir has performed and collaborated with some of the world's leading artists, including: {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Anton Armstrong * Sam Beam (Iron & Wine) * Jamie Bernstein * Alex Blachly * Marguerite Brooks * Dave Brubeck * Simon Carrington * Bob Chilcott * Cynthia Clawson * Manfred Cordes * Ken Cowan * Joseph Flummerfelt * María Guinand * Paul Hillier * Kim Kashkashian * Christian McBride * Bill McGlaughlin * Kim Nazarian * Peter Phillips * Peter Schickele (P.D.Q. Bach) * Elena Sharkova * Steven Schick * Barnaby Smith * Anthony Trecek-King {{div col end}}
==Commissions== Beyond the known and celebrated choral works, the Houston Chamber Choir is also a champion of contemporary choral music, having expanded the repertoire with nearly a dozen commissions of new works. All but one of the compositions from ''Soft Blink of Amber Light'' are works commissioned and premiered by the ensemble.<ref name=softblink /> Composers commissioned by the choir include: {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Mark Buller * Dominick DiOrio * Jocelyn Hagen * Daniel J. Knaggs * Christian McBride * Christopher Theofanidis * David Ashley White {{div col end}}
==Awards and accolades== In 2015, the choir was the winner of The American Prize for Choral Performance.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.houstonchronicle.com/entertainment/arts-theater/article/Houston-Chamber-Choir-wins-national-honors-6746288.php |title=Houston Chamber Choir Wins National Honors |last=Evans |first=Everett |date=January 8, 2016 |website=Houston Chronicle |publisher= |access-date=15 December 2017 |quote=}}</ref>
Its two 2015 albums, ''Soft Blink of Amber Light''<ref name=softblink>{{AllMusic |class=album |id=mw0002868682 |tab= |label=Soft Blink of Amber Light |last= |first= |accessdate=15 December 2017}}</ref> and ''Rothko Chapel: Morton Feldman, Erik Satie, John Cage''<ref>{{AllMusic |class=album |id=mw0002874436 |tab= |label=Rothko Chapel: Morton Feldman, Erik Satie, John Cage |last= |first= |accessdate=15 December 2017}}</ref> have been met with international acclaim.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://reader.exacteditions.com/issues/47800/page/9 |title=Sounds of America |last=Vittes |first=Laurence |date=January 2016 |website=Gramophone |publisher= |access-date=15 December 2017 |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/nov/22/feldman-satie-cage-rothko-chapel-cd-review |title=Feldman, Satie, Cage: Rothko Chapel CD review – hypnotic and moving |last=Kenyon |first=Nicholas |date=November 22, 2015 |website=The Guardian |publisher= |access-date=15 December 2017 |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/morton-feldmanerik-satiejohn-cage-rothko-chapel-album-review-a6733221.html |title=Morton Feldman/Erik Satie/John Cage, Rothko Chapel - album review |last=Gill |first=Andy |date=November 13, 2015 |website=The Independent |publisher= |access-date=15 December 2017 |quote=}}</ref> The ''Rothko Chapel'' project, recorded in partnership with Da Camera of Houston Artistic Director Sarah Rothenberg,<ref>[https://www.dacamera.com/recordings-video/ Da Camera - Recordings & Video] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215221328/https://www.dacamera.com/recordings-video/ |date=2017-12-15 }}. Retrieved 15 December 2017.</ref> was a US Billboard Top 10<ref>{{cite tweet |user=wayneashleymusi |number=889276279241003010 |date=23 July 2017 |title=#TB to @houchamberchoir's 1st ever appearance on the @billboard charts!! #RothkoChapel was a Top 10 Top Classical album. #Houston #houarts}}</ref> and UK Top 20<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/specialist-classical-chart/20151127/specclass/ |title=Official Specialist Classical Chart Top 30 |last= |first= |date=27 November 2015 |website=Official Charts |publisher= |access-date=15 December 2017 |quote=}}</ref> Classical Album and was named one of the Best Classical Recordings of 2015 by the Chicago Tribune.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/vonrhein/sc-best-classical-albums-2015-ent-1202-20151203-column.html |title=The Best Classical Recordings of 2015 |last=von Rhein |first=John |date=December 4, 2015 |website=Chicago Tribune |publisher= |access-date=15 December 2017 |quote=}}</ref>
The choir is the recipient of the 2018 Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence given by Chorus America.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://chorusamerica.org/awards/margaret-hillis-award |title=Chorus America's 2018 Awards Recognize Outstanding Choruses and Individuals |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=April 4, 2018 |website=Chorus America |publisher= |access-date=1 April 2025 |quote=}}</ref>
The 2019 recording ''Duruflé: Complete Choral Works'' was the choir's first Grammy Award Nomination<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/bellaire/events/article/Houston-Chamber-Choir-s-Durufle-Complete-14861156.php |title=Houston Chamber Choir's 'Duruflé: Complete Choral Works' receives Grammy nomination for 'Best Choral Performance'|date=November 25, 2019 |website=Houston Chronicle |publisher= |access-date=December 2, 2019 |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|author=Denise Warner|title=2020 Grammy Nominees: The Complete List|url= https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/awards/8544267/2020-grammy-nominations-complete-list |magazine=Billboard|date=November 20, 2019|accessdate=December 2, 2019}}</ref> and it won the Grammy for Best Choral Performance.<ref>[https://www.grammy.com/awards 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards Nominees]. ''The Recording Academy'', Accessed December 2, 2019.</ref>
The Houston Chamber Choir was selected to perform as one of the twenty-four choirs at the World Symposium on Choral Music sponsored by the International Federation for Choral Music in Auckland, New Zealand, in July 2020.<ref>{{cite web |title=Choirs |url=https://www.wscm2020.com/programme/choirs/ |website=World Symposium on Choral Music 2020 |accessdate=2019-10-06}}</ref>
== References == <!-- Inline citations added to your article will automatically display here. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:REFB for instructions on how to add citations. --> {{reflist}}
== External links== * [http://www.houstonchamberchoir.org Official website] * {{AllMusic |class=artist |id=mn0003028650 |tab= |label=Houston Chamber Choir |last= |first= |accessdate=}}
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Category:1995 establishments in Texas Category:Chamber choirs Category:Choirs from Texas Category:Culture of Houston Category:Music of Houston Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Musical groups established in 1995 Category:Musical groups from Houston Category:Texas classical music