Sarasota Choral Society
Founded in 1944
Our History
Sarasota in 1944 was very different than today. No high rises lined the bay-front and many still remember a sleepy fishing village centered around Five Points. Yet, even then, arts and music flourished in Sarasota. It was in this city of people of vision and community spirit where the first production of Handel’s Messiah for Sarasotans occurred in December 1944.
The Sarasota Choral Society was formed nine years earlier by Mrs. Thomas Butler. Volunteer member singers rehearsed weekly and performed two concerts per year, one at Christmas and one in the Spring. Members were people from area churches, a trend which continues today. Three members were instrumental in getting the Choral Society to put on the Messiah: Mrs. Walter Wooten, Mrs. Eleanor Bates Northern, and long-time board member Mrs. Elizabeth (Lane) Whittington. While Mrs. Northern conducted rehearsals, a director from Tampa was brought in for the actual performance. The practice of hiring local musicians for the Society’s performance began in 1945, and this loosely formed group became the nucleus for what is known today as the Sarasota Orchestra. In the 1940s and early 1950s, anywhere from 50-75 members sang in the group and performances were held in the Municipal Auditorium.
In 1956, a new chapter of the Society’s history began with the hiring of Julia W. Rohr as director. Membership increased to just over 300 voices; performances were held at First Baptist, First Methodist, and Bahia Vista Mennonite Churches, the John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art courtyard, and after 1973, at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Dr. Rohr retired and conducted her last production on December 4, 1994 at Van Wezel, celebrating the Society’s 50th Anniversary performance of Messiah.
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In 1995, Robert Romanski became the Artistic Director for The Sarasota Choral Society. He led the annual Messiah performances through 2004 in such venues as Van Wezel, Samuel R. Neel Auditorium at State College of Florida, the Epiphany Cathedral in Venice, and the Church of the Palms (Presbyterian) in Sarasota.
On November 28, 2004, The Sarasota Choral Society presented its 60th Anniversary Gala Performance at the Church of the Palms. The organization was honored with proclamations from the City of Sarasota and the Sarasota County Commission for its long history of contributions to the arts and lifestyle in the Sarasota area. A main highlight of the evening occurred with the honoring of Dr. Julia Rohr for her almost half century of support and leadership of the arts and music in Sarasota by Sarasota Mayor Richard F. Martin, City Commissioner Lou Ann Palmer, County Commissioner David Mills, and Sarasota County School Board member Dr. Kathy Kleinlein. The Choral Society also presented her with a lifetime achievement award on behalf of the citizens of Sarasota and its members. Dr. Rohr ended her retirement briefly to conduct the final movement of Messiah: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.
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2005 found The Sarasota Choral Society under the direction of dynamic Artistic Director, Deidre Reigel. Her experience in opera, dance, technical direction, staging and lighting, and orchestral leadership, along with seemingly limitless amounts of energy and a relentless drive for excellence made her the ideal person to lead this organization into a very exciting and promising future.
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On May 31, 2008, The Sarasota Choral Society honored Dr. Julia W. Rohr’s 90th birthday with a very special performance in which she came out of retirement to conduct some of her favorite music. The featured soloists, soprano Kyoung Cho and tenor Bryce Westervelt, wowed the audience.
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In 2008, The Sarasota Choral Society also proudly introduced Sarasota Young Voices (SYV) at the annual Christmas production of Messiah. SYV is a group of very talented young vocalists founded by Geneviève Beauchamp.
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On December 5, 2009, The Sarasota Choral Society started a new chapter in its history as it celebrated its 65th consecutive annual performance of Messiah at Pine Shores Presbyterian with a new Artistic Director, Geneviève Beauchamp. With a strong background in choral singing and piano, Ms. Beauchamp continues the organization’s long standing tradition of choral excellence as she builds on the work of previous Artistic Directors Deidre Reigel, Robert Romanski, and Dr. Julia W. Rohr.
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February 9, 2013 saw Artistic Director Geneviève Beauchamp and Accompanist Dr. Jonathan Spivey present “Dueling Pianos; The Gloves Come Off” as a fundraiser for the Society. They featured dual pianos performing pieces from Mozart, Milhaud, Bizet, and Gershwin among others to a full house to great acclaim.
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On Thanksgiving weekend 2015, the Sarasota Choral Society was privileged to perform “Messiah” at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Joining choristers from around the nation, we sang Sir Thomas Beecham and Eugene Goosen’s 1959 inspiring re-orchestration of Handel’s ever popular oratorio, featuring a full symphony orchestra and more than 450 singers.
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On December 7, 2019, the Sarasota Choral Society celebrated its Diamond Jubilee, presenting its 75th consecutive annual performance of the Christmas version of G. F. Handel's Messiah: A Sacred Oratorio to a sold-out house at Church of the Palms in Sarasota, Florida.
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In celebrating our Diamond Jubilee celebration, we also were invited to travel and perform with other choristers on an Italian tour in the summer of 2020. This tour would have included performances in the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and at Mass in St. Peters Basilica at the Vatican. However, the pandemic intervened and made our European trip impossible. Unfortunately, the pandemic also forced us to cancel our Sarasota Messiah performances in 2020 and 2021.
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As we look back at the many accomplishments of The Sarasota Choral Society, we are grateful to the many individuals who have donated their valuable time, effort and funding. We give thanks to all of our members and supporters, especially our incredibly talented and dedicated Artistic Director, Geneviève. It is through all of your efforts that our choir continues to provide excellent performances that delight the Sarasota area.
