Our Mission
The Concert Singers' mission is to preserve and promote the awareness and appreciation of choral music as an art form that transcends cultural, generational and ethnic barriers.
The Concert Singers is a community choir based in the Westchester area of Los Angeles that performs a wide variety of choral repertoire, including sacred and secular seasonal music, traditional choral master works, madrigals, pops, and vocal jazz. We typically perform three public concerts a year, plus occasional private performances for local civic groups and corporations.
History
The Concert singers, the oldest independent choral group in Los Angeles, was established in 1948 as the Westchester Civic Chorus by Betty Miller, a well-known music teacher in Westchester. For many years the group was subsidized by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural affairs as one of eight regional choruses. In 1981 however, after the passage of Proposition 13, the City withdrew its financial support. The chorus members met and voted to initiate dues and to continue as an independent organization. In 1982 we incorporated as a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation for educational purposes under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Over the years the group has performed at many venues throughout Southern California, including the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and the Hollywood Bowl, as well as appearances on radio and television. Special programs have included classical concerts of madrigals and motets representing 400 years of choral music; major choral/orchestral works; Elizabethan madrigal feasts with authentic vocal and instrumental music, food, costumes, decorations, and entertainment; and summer Sunday afternoon ice cream socials with Broadway show tunes and vocal jazz with instrumental combos.
Membership
Our Musical Leadership
Colleen Cronin
Music Director
Colleen Cronin is passionate about choral music and thrilled to be serving as the Director of The
Concert Singers. Colleen attended Stanford University, earning a bachelor’s degree in music “with
distinction” as well as a Master’s in Music Education and a teaching credential in music. She taught
school choral music, private piano and voice, and directed adult church choirs in Northern California.
Colleen earned her second Master’s Degree in Choral Conducting from San Jose State University where
she was Assistant Director of the San Jose State University Chorus. She studied Choral Conducting and
sang with the SJSU Choraliers, touring Europe and performing at the National American Choral
Director’s Association Convention in Nashville. Colleen was recognized as the Outstanding Artist
Researcher of the Year by San Jose State University. In Southern California, Colleen attended USC’s
DMA program, studying choral conducting with Rodney Eichenberger, choral and church music with Dr.
James Vail, and voice with Dr. Tom Cleveland. She worked with Dr. David Wilson as graduate teaching
assistant for the USC Men’s and Women’s Chorales and sang with the USC Chamber Singers, touring
New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, and performing at an ACDA National Convention.
During her first 16 years as Director of The Concert Singers, Colleen led the group in a
performance tour of Austria and the Czech Republic. She taught Advanced Voice to gifted youth at the
LAUSD Conservatory of Performing Arts for 18 years and served as a judge identifying gifted students in
voice for Gifted and Talented Education for the state of California.
For 27 years, Colleen taught elementary and secondary vocal music with the LAUSD. She also
mentors fellow music educators, having served as a Peer Coach and beginning teacher’s BTSA provider
for the LAUSD, and mentor teacher for CSUN students. In 2008 she was selected as conductor of the
LAUSD district-wide Elementary Honors Chorus, featured in the documentary film “Accent on
Performance.” Colleen has conducted festival choirs, presented choral reading sessions to conductors and
educators, and has offered conducting workshops in the Los Angeles area for the Chorister’s Guild, the
South Bay Children’s Choir, the National Association of Church Musicians, and LAUSD. For 34 years
she served as Director of Music at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Westchester, and she retired last
summer from teaching Choral Music at Paul Revere Charter Middle School in Pacific Palisades.