Who We Are

Founded in 1935, the Newburyport Choral Society (NCS) is one of the largest community choral societies in New England, and one of the nation’s oldest choral groups. Comprised of approximately 125 singers from more than thirty communities in eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, we are a non-auditioned Chorus that range in age from high school students to retirees that hold diverse musical backgrounds. 

The only requirements for membership are a love of singing, commitment to learning the music, and a willingness to participate in the life and well-being of the chorus. We sing together, learn together, laugh together, and strive together for excellence in performance.

For the past 85 years, NCS has performed an extensive repertoire of choral music from the Renaissance to the 21^st century with professional orchestra and soloists. Known for the exceptional quality of its concerts, NCS has set the standard in the performance of choral/orchestral masterworks on the North Shore.  Our singers and audiences experience the great classical works of such composers as Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and Verdi, as well as more contemporary composers such as Britten, Duruflé and Pinkham. 

The quality of NCS concerts springs from a single common bond shared by all of its members — a love of singing and sharing outstanding choral music with community audiences – from the known to the new – from the emotional power of large choral works to the tenderness of smaller a cappella pieces – from dramatic and innovative contemporary works to lighthearted seasonal music.

Please visit our History page (hyperlink here) to learn more.