The Dessoff Choirs is an independent chorus based in New York City. Margarete Dessoff established the organization in 1930 as the union of two choirs she directed, the Adesdi chorus and the A Cappella Singers, whence the plural Choirs. Today, the plural connotes Dessoff's various ensembles, which range from the large Dessoff Symphonic Choir, which appears with major orchestras, to the Dessoff Chamber Choir, which performs in more intimate settings. The performance of new, unusual, or rarely heard works is a central facet of Dessoff's mission. Under Dessoff's baton, the Dessoff Choirs gave many premieres, including the American premiere of Arnold Schoenberg's Friede auf Erden, the first American performance of Orazio Vecchi's L'Amfiparnaso, and the New York premiere of Bach's cantata Christ lag in Todes Banden. Dessoff's second conductor, Paul Boepple, continued to champion early music, and when he retired after 32 years as musical director, early music had seen its modern renaissance in which Dessoff had played a significant role. In 1951, the Dessoff Choirs performed with the New York Wind Ensemble at a special Peabody Mason Concert series commemorating the Bi-Millennial year in Paris. During Boepple's tenure, the Choirs released 13 recordings, and his editions were published by Theodore Presser as the Dessoff Choir Series.

Recent history

From 2005 through 2010, James Bagwell served as the musical director of Dessoff. Under his direction, Dessoff performed several large works not often heard, including Kurt Weill's Berliner Requiem, Paul Hindemith's Apparebit repentina dies, and William Bolcom's The Mask. In addition, Bagwell expanded Dessoff's repertoire with regard to American music, including in the choir's concerts Sacred Harp music and American music from the 18th and 21st centuries. Dessoff's May 2009 concert, which included works by Charles Ives and his teacher Horatio Parker, was recorded live and released on CD and by mp3 download in December 2009. In September 2009, Bagwell was named musical director of the Collegiate Chorale. In June 2009, the Dessoff Symphonic Choir joined the New York Philharmonic and the New York Choral Artists for seven performances of two programs, Britten's War Requiem and Mahler's Symphony No. 8), marking Lorin Maazel's final concerts as music director of the Philharmonic, with Kent Tritle, the philharmonic's organist. In November 2009, the Dessoff Chamber Choir performed songs from The Kinks Choral Collection with Ray Davies on the Late Show with David Letterman and at two Town Hall performances. In May 2010, Christopher Shepard became the seventh music director of the Choirs, succeeded by Malcolm J. Merriweather in 2016.

2010–2011 concert season

2009–2010 concert season

Dessoff Symphonic Choir performances

Discography