Upcoming Concerts
St. Paul’s ChapelApply to Audition
Free
Philadelphia Heritage Chorale Exchange
Sunday, April 19, 2020 at 4pm - Canceled. Read more about why.
Downtown Voices; Stephen Sands, conductor; curated by Dr. Donald Dumpson and Stephen Sands
The Philadelphia Heritage Chorale joins Downtown Voices to present a concert of diverse works including stirring music borne of the African diaspora and beloved classical repertoire. The program was curated by pedagogues Dr. J. Donald Dumpson and Stephen Sands.
Downtown Voices first performed at Trinity Church on December 27, 2015, as part of Trinity's annual Twelfth Night Festival.
About
Praised by The New York Times for its “incisive, agile strength,” Downtown Voices is a semiprofessional choir made up of volunteer singers and members of the Grammy-nominated Choir of Trinity Wall Street. Directed by Stephen Sands since its inception in 2015, Downtown Voices has performed works by Beethoven, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, Webern, Ginastera, Janáček, James MacMillan, and Philip Glass, in addition to premiering Spire and Shadow by Zachary Wadsworth, a large-scale commission for the 250th anniversary of St. Paul’s Chapel. In the 2018-19 season, the group performed two “Community Carol Sing” concerts, a celebration of the past hundred years of Estonian composition, a program featuring Dvořák’s rarely performed Mass in D and Britten’s Hymn to St. Cecilia, and a season finale concert featuring Orff’s Carmina Burana. Downtown Voices can be heard on the epic Philip Glass: Symphony No. 5 recording released by Orange Mountain Music in August 2019.
Watch Recent Concerts
Beethoven Mass in C
February 9, 2020Watch Concert
Festival of Lessons and Carols for Advent
December 15, 2019Watch Concert
Pärt and Poulenc
November 15, 2019Watch Concert
Singing Our Song: Hymns and Anthems from Trinity Church
September 14, 2019Watch Concert
Carl Orff Carmina Burana
June 16, 2019Watch Concert
Antonín Dvořák Mass in D Major
April 28, 2019Watch Concert
Community Carol Sing
December 22, 2018Watch Concert
Voices over Tallinn: Celebrating 100 Years of Estonian Music
November 30, 2018Watch Concert
TOTAL EMBRACE FINALE: Leonard Bernstein at 100
June 2, 2018Watch Concert
Masterworks for Double Choir
March 11, 2018Watch Concert
Christmas Concert and Community Carol Sing
December 21, 2017Watch Concert
Rachmaninoff Vespers - November 12
November 12, 2017Watch Concert
Rachmaninoff Vespers
November 10, 2017Watch Concert
Philip Glass Symphony No. 5
May 20, 2017Watch Concert
Handel’s Israel in Egypt
April 8, 2017Watch Concert
Zachary Wadsworth’s commission, Spire and Shadow, for the 250th Anniversary of St Paul’s Chapel
January 11, 2017Watch Concert
October Garden by Julian Wachner and Morten Lauridsen’s Midwinter Songs
October 23, 2016Watch Concert
Join Downtown Voices
Now Accepting Audition Requests
Auditions
Downtown Voices will be accepting new high-level volunteer singers to begin in September 2020. If you are interested in auditioning, please fill out the form below and you will be contacted with further instructions. All applicants are required to submit a video sample of their singing and after a screening process, successful applicants will be invited to audition this spring (depending on social distancing guidelines, these auditions may be held in person or online). These auditions will include sight-reading from a four-part hymn, singing a prepared choral piece, as well as performing an aria or art song of the singer’s choosing.
Rehearsals
Downtown Voices rehearses on Wednesday evenings, 6:30–9pm, with occasional rehearsals extending to 9:30pm, from September through June at Trinity Church and St. Paul's Chapel in Lower Manhattan. Choir members must attend at least 80% of rehearsals and are required to attend all dress rehearsals and concerts (approximately six per year). Please contact the chorus manager if you have questions.
Contact
If you would like more information about Downtown Voices, please contact Chorus Manager Sandy Sobey at dtvtws@gmail.com.
Apply Here to Audition
Learn More
Testimonials from Downtown Voices Singers
“Downtown Voices is the group I've been looking for for years -- one in which I feel challenged without feeling left behind. Every rehearsal with the Trinity professionals is like a master class.”
“The collaboration with The Choir of Trinity Wall Street has been an incredibly rewarding and enriching aspect of being in this group. It's amazing to have the opportunity to sing alongside some of the most talented and accomplished choral singers in New York City.”
“The repertoire performed by Downtown Voices has been incredibly fulfilling for me to sing. It is challenging, diverse, exciting, and innovative. The performance quality and collaboration opportunities with Trinity's instrumental ensembles are outstanding. Being able to rehearse in Trinity Church and St. Paul's Chapel has been inspiring and extremely rewarding, especially having grown up visiting and admiring these two spaces. I could not be more grateful or happy to be a part of Downtown Voices.”
“After graduating from college and joining the rest of corporate America working for a big four accounting firm, I felt a void in my heart where music used to be. I was surrounded by music all growing up and through college where I participated heavily in my college's conservatory programs. Once I graduated, though, I had no outlets to continue my music education and follow my passion for singing… I auditioned for several groups, and nothing seemed quite right. Some programs were too intense for someone who was also a full time working professional, and some programs were too relaxed, where the music wasn't challenging enough and left me wanting more.
Then, I heard about Downtown Voices. Not only did I get to perform in arguably one of the most beautiful places in NYC, but I also get to sing alongside incredibly talented musicians who impress me every day and challenge me to be the best vocalist I can be. I get to experience all of this while having fun and singing music that gives me chills every time we perform. What a thrill and honor it is to be a part of such a wonderful music community.”