Northwest Chorale

Mission

The mission of Northwest Chorale is to raise money for local food banks by presenting choral music concerts. With a twist on an old saying, "we sing for their supper", admission to our concerts has always been complimentary; freewill offerings are taken at concerts, and 100% of funds received at concerts goes to help feed those in need in the Seattle and the greater metropolitan area. Due to current funding gaps and increased numbers of people struggling to make ends meet, the need is even more urgent.

Support Us In Our Mission

All the money we collect in offerings at our concerts goes directly to food banks, and we want to keep it that way! But we do have operating expenses, such as music purchase and copying, rental of our rehearsal space, insurance, paying our accompanist, hiring soloists and instrumentalists for our concerts, and renting concert venues. Even though Chorale members pay dues to meet these costs, we need to supplement. Annual donations to Northwest Chorale through GIVE BIG provide our best opportunity to do so.

Our History

Founded in 1978 by director Lynn Hall under the name "A Musical Offering," Northwest Chorale is a group of civic-minded individuals who enjoy gathering to rehearse and perform great works of music concerts during the Christmas season and in late spring. The name was changed to "Messiah for Relief" after the Chorale began performing Handel's "Messiah" to raise money for those in need in the Seattle area. Handel himself set the example by conducting Messiah 54 times in his lifetime to benefit the Children's Foundling Hospital of London. Each December, the chorale presents a concert of seasonal choral works and rotating performances of "Messiah." Spring concerts include masterworks by composers such as Bach, Handel, Haydn and Mendelssohn. As the chorale grew and its repertoire expanded beyond Messiah, the name was changed to Northwest Chorale.