Connecting us all through music

The Choruses of H+H

A Potpourri of Excellence

In the beginning, it was singing that brought the Handel and Haydn Society into being in 1815. H+H began as a choral society founded by middle-class Bostonians who aspired to improve the quality of singing in their growing American city. Today, 200+ years later, the H+H Chorus continues to partner with the H+H orchestra to provide text to sound, rich harmonic textures, and emotional impact for listeners.

Today’s H+H Chorus roster comprises professional singers with diverse training, professional commitments, and personal backgrounds united by their dedication to musical excellence. Take a moment to explore the varied backgrounds and interests of H+H Chorus members, who seamlessly come together as one on performance day.

H+H is also home to the H+H Youth Choruses (HHYC), a program dedicated to training and inspiring young singers. Over the past 30 years, HHYC has grown from a small group of dedicated students into seven choruses, now welcoming more than 150 singers (ages 7–18) each semester. Led by world-class faculty, these young artists benefit from a rigorous yet supportive environment that nurtures both musical and personal growth, offering every student the chance to find their voice.

Experience the artistry of H+H’s talented singers in performances throughout the year.

Building an Inclusive Repertoire

Baroque and Classical music: always relevant.

We work to widen the audience and programming of Baroque and Classical music; to present it today in ways that gives meaning to people’s lives. We embrace our repertoire as relevant and joy making for all people, and we steadily explore opportunities to showcase Baroque and Classical music as rich and relevant. H+H’s world premiere of Crossing the Deep stands as an outstanding example of this commitment. The work, a moving juxtaposition of American Negro spirituals (1700s–1800s) and Handel's Chandos Anthems (1717–1719) was created by H+H’s Resident Conductor of the Chorus, Dr. Anthony Trecek-King, and Reginald Mobley, countertenor and H+H Program Consultant.

"[H+H] gave what may be one of the most important concerts in its illustrious history... Crossing the Deep, rife with physical and emotional metaphor, paired 9 of Handel’s Chandos Anthems with Negro Spirituals whose texts reflected on many of the same themes. The electrifying combination, as enlightening as it was unexpected, should dispel forever the notion that period music performed on period instruments is merely a museum outing."
— The Boston Musical Intelligencer (June 5, 2023)

Our Audience

Growing with our community.

We welcome everyone to join us to experience world-class Baroque and Classical music for the first or the thousandth time. Our efforts to extend our welcome to new audiences now includes a focused drive to link with New England area non-profits. Recent collaborations have brought groups including the Network of Arts Administrators of Color, DotHouse Health, and Leadership Brainery, Artists for Humanity and Embrace Boston. To bring your group to H+H, please contact Emily Reed, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, at ereed@handelandhaydn.org.

Stone Fellowships

Fostering the development of early-career, early music musicians.

Furthering H+H's vision for a more inclusive national HIP (historically informed performance) community of musicians, H+H launched the Stone Fellowships in 2022 in partnership with the New England Conservatory of Music.

Stone Fellowship applications now open for next cohort. Learn more and apply here.

Pride '25

The LGBTQIA+ community comes out for H+H.

The LGBTQIA+ community has always been a part of Baroque and Classical music. That tradition inspires the patrons, staff, musicians, Board, and teachers of H+H who celebrate expression and inclusion through the annual Pride festivities of all things rainbow. Everyone is welcome: we all benefit from a vibrant and diverse music loving community.

Join us for Pride '25 celebrations after our Haydn + Beethoven concerts on March 28 + 30, 2025.

Youth Music Education

Children's lives are better with music.

What is it like to join the stage of Boston’s Symphony Hall to sing with the H+H Orchestra? Ask the singers in our H+H Youth Choruses who are invited to “step up” for that exciting and rare experience. Throughout the year, eight different ensembles welcome children for joyous singing and quality musical training. Our New Voices ensemble for 8 and 9 year olds is a beginning choral experience for children who share a desire to sing—watch them here. Specialized training for voice at different ages and abilities continues through the Ambassador Ensemble engaging high school students grades 7–12 in performing a diverse selection of music from the Baroque and Classical periods, along with spirituals, jazz, folk songs, a cappella, and contemporary choral repertoire. Scholarships are available: every child is welcome to apply. Find more information here.

Our People, Our Culture

Building a more diverse and inclusive H+H.

Providing diversity, inclusion, and equity in the management of H+H increases our capacity to draw and retain talent, reach our audience, and live our values. We continually invest in our culture—every year reviewing policies and practices, looking for chances to respond to concerns and/or build improvements that realize our mission for inclusion. For example, we gather all staff for learning sessions 3 times a year to build bonds and explore topics. We regularly review all People and Culture policies, and routinely survey staff to understand their situation and points of view. And we enjoy the music, and each other’s company, with regular soirées.