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The NCS is supported in part by grants from the
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Making Music on the North Shore Since 1935 Interest in forming the Choral Society came after Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado was performed in 1934 by members of the Amesbury Choral Society and volunteer singers from Newburyport. They continued to give concerts and by December of that year, 145 people joined the ranks of the newly-named Newburyport Choral Society. The first performance of the Choral Society was held in April of 1935 at the Newburyport City Hall, under the direction of Clifton Lunt, and was enthusiastically received. Following the success of the first concert, the group began rehearsing at Newburyport High School, and was supported in its musical efforts by surrounding communities. In 1937 the Choral Society returned the generosity of the community by raising enough money to fund and support the Newburyport High School Glee Club. By 1940 the Choral Society stabilized at around 100 members, but that changed with the onset of World War II. The April 1942 concert included patriotic music such as The Star Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful. As the chorus and audience members lifted their voices in patriotic zeal, the marked absence of tenor and bass voices served as a reminder of the visible effects of a country at war. Under the continued direction of Clifton Lunt, the Choral Society persevered and soon after WWII, its numbers were back to pre-war levels. Lunt remained as the Choral Society's music director until 1961. NCS continued to grow under the direction of many talented directors, as the Newburyport community and surrounding towns consistently showed their unwavering support of live choral performances. Megan
Starrak, former NCS member
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