We are a non-auditioned community chorus made up of experienced singers from Mount Desert Island and the surrounding communities, as well as those from away.
Each year, some 70 - 80 singers plan their summers around the choir's schedule. They make sure they clear evenings on rehearsal days (usually one night a week and several nights during concert week) from late June to early August, and they plan their vacations, out-of-town trips, or arrival and departure dates based on the rehearsal and the performance dates. About two-thirds of the singers are year-round residents; the rest come from all over the United States and from foreign countries. The youngest singers are high school students who sing upon the recommendation of their school or church choir director. The Chorale provides a unique opportunity for diverse people to come together for a larger purpose.
We take six weeks to learn a full-length program, so every rehearsal counts. They're demanding and exacting, but also upbeat and exciting. What better way to form new friendships and renew old ones than by singing beautiful music together? We also plan one social event each year for our singers and their families to get together and "catch up".
Singers pay annual dues, which subsidize the rental of music and access to study materials. This year we are introducing a new program where annual dues are waived for sustaining members who pledge $10 a month or more. In addition, many singers support the chorale by serving on committees, assisting with publicity, hosting guest artists, or working on concert logistics.
Registration is open during the Winter and Spring and continues until the first rehearsal in mid-June. Concerts are given on the first weekend in August. There is no audition, but most singers are experienced choral musicians who sing in other choirs during the year.
Here's the 2024 schedule:
Rehearsals
At MDI High School:
Thursday, June 20 first rehearsal, 6:30 – 9 p.m.
Wednesday, June 26 rehearsal, 6:30 – 9 p.m.
Wednesday, July 3 rehearsal, 6:30 – 9 p.m.
Wednesday, July 10 rehearsal, 6:30 – 9 p.m.
Saturday, July 13 retreat + picnic
2 – 3 p.m.: sectionals
3:15 – 4:15, 4:30 – 5:30: all together
5:30: all-MDSC plus families picnic/barbecue (at MDI High School)
Wednesday, July 17 rehearsal, 6:30 – 9 p.m.
Wednesday, July 24 rehearsal and annual meeting, 6:30 – 9 p.m.
Sunday, July 28 rehearsal, 6:30-9 p.m.
Wednesday, July 31 rehearsal with orchestra and soloists, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, August 1 final rehearsal, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. site TBD
Concerts:
Friday, August 2 Ellsworth High School, 7:30 p.m. (call for singers is 5:30 p.m.)
Saturday, August 3 Criterion Theater, Bar Harbor, 7:30 p.m. (call for singers is 5:30 p.m.)
Join the Mount Desert Summer Chorale
Please print one of the forms below, fill it out, and mail it to PO Box 887 ▪ Mount Desert, ME ▪ 04660
Singer Registration form (Microsoft Word) (pdf)
You can use this link (below) to pay your membership fee by credit card or using your PayPal account. Remember that 2025 annual dues will be waived for sustaining members who pledge $10 a month or more this year.
