RUPA, Soprano

Cecilia has such a fantastic mix of tradition and innovation: we get to sing the “great” masterworks, and also to sing – and often premiere! – fascinating new pieces by amazing contemporary composers. I absolutely love the way our dynamic music director Mark Shapiro, who is a fantastic teacher, pushes us to think harder about the music – I’m learning all the time and becoming a better musician. Best of all, we have such a warm, wonderful community of talented singers from all walks of life – I look forward to rehearsals every week as much as to the concerts!

YANNI, Tenor

My music inspiration and participation was dwindling throughout the pandemic, so joining CCNY was the greatest decision I could make. I found a community of inspiring musicians who lifted me up with their passion and musicality. I’ve learned to detest Zoom meetings in general, but CCNY’s warm, virtual community is the vibrant exception that makes me look forward to Mondays!

LIZ, Soprano

I sing with CCNY because in the crazy rush of work and life and changing times and caring for others, it is one of the few times I make a stand to take care of "me". I love the feeling. I love the sound around me and through me.

I do it because while it takes my individual skill and work, I am part of a team - creating a force stronger and larger than I could possibly be alone. I have sung in chorus since I was 10 years old - it doesn't get boring; I can always learn something new and get better than I was. It is comfortable slippers and, simultaneously, 5-inch spike heels. I am blessed; I am welcomed; I am home.

FIONA, Alto

I grew up singing at church, at school, at home and at campfires. And then I stopped - rowing crew and my 20s got in the way! When I moved to San Francisco I realized how much I'd missed it and - neither alumna, nor local - joined the UC Berkeley alumni chorus. It was good practice for NY's Cecilia Chorus, which I think is the most fun way to learn the classics, really hear music together, and sing the newest possible music. I love Mark's clarity and insight and I wouldn't miss Mondays!

SILVIA, Soprano

Besides singing famous choral masterworks from the past, we premiere newly commissioned pieces. Meeting incredibly gifted composers and giving a voice to their talents is something that has touched me at a very deep level.

DOV, Bass

The Cecilia Chorus is a large, yet very warm community of like-minded individuals, fueled by music and human connection. Participation in the chorus offers a unique sense of belonging to each individual, as there are countless ways to interact within. In the short time that I’ve been a member, my appetite for classical music and sight singing ability have developed strongly, and I’ve met extraordinary people. With a dynamic music director and a passionate community of music enthusiasts, it’s a joy to be a part of this chorus.

MARI, Soprano

I graduated from Koyo College of Music and worked for a music company, composing and recording music in Japan. About two years ago I decided to move to New York to improve my English and immerse herself in the world of jazz music. My jazz composition teacher is a member of the Cecilia Chorus and invited me to join. What a fantastic idea! I found a very welcoming, diverse, and engaging community waiting for me.

JOHN, Bass

I sang with Mark in Cantori NY from 2014 - 2017. I moved away for two years, and as I was heading back to NYC last year, Mark asked me if I’d like to sing with CCNY. I was delighted to join because I had seen Messiah at Carnegie Hall, and I wanted to sing larger works with an orchestra. I enjoy working with Mark, the people are good, and singing at Carnegie is fun!

SUSANNA, Alto

I’ve loved playing and listening to different kinds of music my whole life. More recently, I’ve obtained administrative roles in the opera/classical music industry. Joining the Cecilia Chorus was the best decision to hone my musical skills, meet like-minded individuals, and perform in beautiful concert venues including the legendary Carnegie Hall. It gives me so much joy to collaborate with wonderful people every week, especially under the direction of Mark Shapiro. If you’re looking for a warm, welcoming community of music makers, then Cecilia is for you!"

JULIA, Alto

A brilliant and nurturing conductor, a caring, supportive board, oh-so-talented fellow singers, new friendships, a diverse and challenging repertoire. Being a part of the Cecilia community has added new depth and great pleasure to my life. My most thrilling moment? Walking through the towering stage doors of Carnegie Hall to resounding applause. My best moments? Rehearsing every week with Cecilia's wonderful voices. I am so looking forward to our return!

MIKE, Tenor

I was immediately drawn to the immense musical knowledge of our director, Mark. He makes learning challenging music fun and is amazing at programming concerts that are truly rewarding. There is a contagious spirit among the members of the choir and it has been a joy making music with these friends. This has especially been meaningful having moved to the city just over a year ago. We get to sing in some of the most inspiring venues in the city, including Carnegie Hall. All of this makes me look forward to our time together every week!

IVANA, Soprano

I started singing in the chorus a few months after I relocated to New York from my native Croatia in 2010. This is when I got a sense of community for the first time in the US. I sang while pregnant, I sang while grieving the loss of my father. And being part of the Cecilia community has helped me through it all. Trying to crack the code of music is extremely therapeutic. During rehearsals I often feel in awe from the simple fact that we all gather from completely different backgrounds, ethnicities, and ages to get united in harmony. So simple and glorious!

CAROL, Alto

Singing with Cecilia allows me to feel the power and timelessness of the classics and also introduces me to many exciting new productions. I especially appreciate the opportunity to work with a dynamic, extremely knowledgeable conductor, who also makes rehearsals fun. The diverse Cecilia community is welcoming and energetic, and and it has been great to meet so many people who share my passion for music.

DAN, Tenor

The first Cecilia Chorus concert in which I participated was its December 2019 Carnegie Hall performance of J.S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio. Singing this glorious choral masterpiece under music director Mark Shapiro's patient and nurturing baton was a memorable thrill. Moreover, as a tenor, I stood in the first row, right near the oboe. So I heard about as proximately as possible the inspiring orchestral accompaniment, together with the four wonderful soloists. To boot, six John Jay College colleagues were in the audience, along with five students whose academic excellence earned them tickets to see their political science professor on stage. In short, the night was unforgettable for all.

HAIRUO, Alto

As a humble student of Dr. Shapiro, every rehearsal in Cecilia is a precious opportunity for me to learn how he works with different people in a choir rehearsal and how he puts a complex music project together. As an international student, Cecilia provides me a sense of belonging to this city and this community. Fellow singers from different generations and backgrounds fill me with unconditional love and care every Monday night. I am so lucky to be a member of the community!

ELENA, Alto

Singing with CCNY for me is an adventure! Discovering new music and new composers, meeting extraordinary people, getting insights spiced with humor from our conductor Mark Shapiro and constantly learning and improving our vocal technique. And on top of it all concerts at Carnegie Hall where we share our love of music with two and a half thousand listeners!

SHERRY, Alto

I joined the Cecilia Chorus for two primary reasons – musicianship and community. This is a group of strong, highly dedicated musicians, firmly ensconced in a welcoming culture that the chorus has nurtured for many years. New members often comment on how welcome they feel. Our director, Mark Shapiro, is a superbly-skilled musician and unusually good at sharing those skills, teaching and coaching through every rehearsal so that the group is aware that our sound keeps getting better (and our audiences continue to comment on it, as well!). He sends an email to the full group after every in-person rehearsal, adding to both our musicianship and to that sense of community. Finally, there is our regular season in Carnegie Hall. It doesn’t get any better than that!

VANESSA, Soprano

I love singing with The Cecilia Chorus because of the musicianship and the community. I look forward to studying and performing music alongside fellow dedicated choristers each week under Mark's thoughtful leadership.

BARRY, Bass

Even after a lifetime of choral singing, I find new experiences in The Cecilia Chorus. Here are two examples. A recent concert was designed around the biblical story of Belshazzar and included diverse music from Russian and Italian opera, Broadway, German Lieder, and rap, as well as other sources. In rehearsal we use acting exercises to help broaden our expression of text. More traditionally, we also sing glorious Bach. And I find my fellow members have unusual depth of musical background - it is very inspiring. Who could ask for more?

JONATHAN, Tenor

Ten years ago I was a freshman dance major, finding my way in NYC after a Southern childhood. I had been a choir nerd in high school and sorely missed having a choral community. Lynn Martin, my anatomy professor at NYU, happened to be an alto with Cecilia. After taking one of her workshops in Breathing Coordination, she excitedly recommended that I audition for what was at the time still the St. Cecilia Chorus. Fast forward to the present and I’m writing grants on the Board, planning the Chorus’ parties, and drawing ever shamelessly from Mark’s rehearsal and pedagogical strategies when at the front of my own respective rooms. I am a better person because of the repertoire we sing, how it is programmed, and how we process it together, and I have savored in the journey from being the lone queer, bi-racial kid to being enveloped in an increasingly diversifying musical microcosm.

BEVERLY, Alto

Singing with the Cecilia Chorus is a dream come true that was inspired by listening to the great chorus masterworks and contemporary choral works as well. It is a joy to be part of such a talented and welcoming community. We are so lucky to have such dynamic, nurturing and thoughtful leadership with Mark Shapiro who shares his immense musical knowledge with us in rehearsals. I am learning so much and growing as a musician. Our rehearsals are the highlight of my week.