Message from the Artistic Director
December 2025

Our Upcoming Spring 2026 Concert

The Contra Costa Chorale’s Spring 2026 concert will celebrate its 60 anniversary with selections of music that coincide with each decade of its history. More information will be available soon!

Our Fall 2025 Concert

The Contra Costa Chorale, led by artistic Director Dr. Brad Schultz and accompanied by Martin Morley, presented its fall program centered around three larger works that follow a trajectory of  Darkness to Light. 

Reena Esmail’s “A Winter Breviary” is a set of carols that traces a journey through the solstice, the longest night of the year, and recognizes the many ways we honor the darkness and celebrate the return of light. Randall Thompson’s iconic “Frostiana” is likely familiar to many of you, but performing this cycle of Robert Frost poems with orchestra was a treat. Finally, George Frideric Handel’s “Foundling Hospital Anthem” completed the program. This is the last piece of sacred music that Handel wrote and includes quotations of many of his earlier works— the final movement of this piece is actually the “Hallelujah Chorus.” It was a great way to end a concert!

Concert Schedule:

Live Concert and Livestream:
Friday, December 5, 7:30 p.m.; Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley; 1 Lawson Rd, Kensington

Live Concert:
Sunday, December 7, 4:00 p.m; Orinda Community Church; 10 Irwin Way, Orinda

Ticket Information:
Advance ticket prices: $25 General, $20 Students/Seniors/Disabled
Door ticket prices: $30 General, $25 Students/Seniors/Disabled
All children under 12–Free admission always

For further information email cocochorale@gmail.com, or call (510) 730-0202

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Would you like to hear us right now? Click on the audio files below to experience works from our past concerts:

Ain’ a that good news – arr. William Dawson

Bonse aba – arr. Andrew Fisher

Agnus Dei from Lux Aeterna – Morten Lauridsen

Chichester Psalms_Mvt 1 – Leonard Bernstein

Who is Silvia – George Shearing