About Us
The majesty of choral voices soaring through the grand architecture of Washington National Cathedral drowns the noise of the world, offering one of the few awe-inspiring events for which you can get a front-row seat.
We believe that’s something everyone should see, feel, and hear for themselves.
Mission
Vision
As Washington, DC’s oldest symphonic chorus, the GRAMMY-nominated Cathedral Choral Society sets the standard for vibrant, engaging concerts in the nation’s capital. Each season, CCS presents mainstage concerts at its home, Washington National Cathedral, inviting concertgoers on exciting musical journeys that reflect the rich diversity of musical traditions in our local community and throughout our nation. The aims of the chorus are to invite more people into the art of choral singing, elevate emerging voices, and steward the art for future generations.
Since its inaugural performance of Verdi’s Requiem in 1942 at the outset of the Second World War, CCS has performed in times of national celebration and in times of mourning. The chorus has performed with some of the most extraordinary musicians of the last century, including Robert Shaw, Marin Alsop, Leonard Slatkin, Dominick Argento, John Rutter, Dave Brubeck, J’nai Bridges, and more. In collaboration with New York’s Clarion Music and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, CCS was nominated for a 2021 GRAMMY Award for its recording of Alexander Kastalsky’s Requiem for Fallen Brothers.
CCS has embarked on numerous collaborations with today’s finest performing ensembles. Collaborators have included the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Ballet, the Washington Bach Consort, Kansas City Chorale, Washington Ballet, and more. A multi-year collaboration with the Heritage Signature Chorale, called I, Too, Sing America, has resulted in performances and documentary videos – available on CCS’s YouTube channel – and will culminate in a concert of new commissions from African American composers in 2026. The Cathedral Choral Society is heavily invested in fostering emerging voices by regularly commissioning up-and-coming composers and featuring outstanding young soloists.
CCS offers educational opportunities through ongoing partnerships and digital initiatives. An annual High School Choir Festival brings more than 200 students from around the region together for a day of learning and singing together; 2025 will mark the 18th annual festival.
The Cathedral Choral Society was founded by the Cathedral’s music director Paul Callaway in 1941, just days before the United States entered World War II. Since that time, only two other music directors have led the chorus: J. Reilly Lewis from 1985 to 2016, and, since 2017, Steven Fox.
