The Colorado Springs Chorale is a 130 voice adult auditioned volunteer chorus. The Chorale will celebrate its 50th Anniversary this season. It is the oldest continuously performing community chorus in the State of Colorado. The Chorale has, in those 50 years, provided a wide variety of music to diverse audiences under a very broad spectrum of circumstances. These have ranged from concerts, either independently produced or under contract with Pikes Peak Region orchestras in major venues, and large regional events, to intimate performances at hospice and medical facilities. Although the Choral has served the community in many ways, its unique niche, filled by no other area chorus, is the performance of great classical choral works, with full orchestra and noted soloists, in venues and with staging appropriate to their stature, ensuring the preservation of the heritage of these great works.

The Chorale has twice been honored by the Pikes Peak Arts Council through its "PAPA's" Award for "Best Classical Performance by a Large Ensemble;" and also received an additional nomination. Its annual Christmas "Pops" program, Deck the Hall, has been selected as "Best Way to Celebrate Christmas" by the Colorado Springs Gazette's "Go," and its annual fundraiser, Chefs' Gala, has received the "Go" Award as "Best Charity Benefit." The Gazette has also honored the Chorale for "Best Large Classical Concert." The Chorale's conductor, Donald P. Jenkins has been presented the Arts Council's "Lifetime Achievement Award."

The Chorale began in 1956 under the direction of Walter Illian as the Symphony Chorus with the Colorado Springs Symphony. The 175-voice chorus made its debut in the performance of Messiah on December 9, 1956, under the baton of Symphony conductor Walter Eisenberg. In 1958 the organization was incorporated as the Colorado Springs Choral Society.

Between 1958 and 1963 the Chorale gave 23 performances covering a broad spectrum of choral literature and in the process, established itself as a solid performing arts organization.

David Porter became the conductor in 1963, and during the next four years, the Chorale's repertoire expanded to include musicals and featured guest artists such as Fred Waring.

In 1967 Donald P. Jenkins became the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Chorale. Under his leadership the Chorale has developed from a community chorus of unscreened membership into an auditioned, well-balanced ensemble.

Over its 50 year history the Chorale has been a significant part of the region's most memorable events. A brief summary includes:

• The America the Beautiful Centennial Celebration
• Memorial Park 4th of July Celebrations
• Opening of the Pikes Peak Center, with Roberta Peters and the Symphony
• Garden of the Gods Easter Sunrise Services, including televised services on four local and twenty intermountain network stations
• International Ice Show and Opening of the International Hockey Tournament at the Broadmoor Ice Arena
• Colorado College 125th Anniversary
• The Freedom Train ('76)
• Opening Ceremonies of the National Sports Festival V at the Air Force Academy Stadium
• Bob Hope Christmas Special Broadcast
• Radio Broadcasts of Thanksgiving and Christmas performances at Shove Chapel, the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and "Busy Corner"
• White House Colorado Millennium Tree Ceremony at the steps of the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum
• Fallen Firefighter's Memorial (annually, Mosaic)
• Post 9/11 Fallen Firefighter's Memorial
• Opening of the renovated Pikes Peak Center, (classical series)
• The Zebulon Pike Bi-Centennial ceremonies, sunrise atop Pikes Peak, noon media simulcast, Pike statue dedication, and time capsule opening.

In recent years the Chorale has performed Handel's Messiah, Orff's Carmina Burana, Mahler's Symphony No. 2, Mozart's Mass in C minor, Verdi's Requiem, and Mendelssohn's Elijah with the Colorado Springs Symphony. It has staged its own productions of Brahms' German Requiem, Haydn's The Creation,Handel's Israel in Egypt and Mozart's Grand Mass in C Minor with full orchestra. The Chorale has sung Beethoven's Ninth Symphony as the inaugural event of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. Further appearances with the Philharmonic include: A Classical Christmas; Orff's Carmina Burana; Mozart's Requiem and The Verdi Requiem. A recent notable collaboration was a performance with the Colorado Springs Children's Chorale and Colorado Vocal Arts Ensemble, Voices. "Pops" concerts include what has become a regional Christmas tradition, Deck the Hall ; and Stars and Stripes, Forever! with the United States Air Force Academy Band, a highlight of the annual Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce week-long salute to the military.