About the FKCC Keys Chorale

The Keys Chorale, under the direction of Dean Walters, was introduced into the curriculum of Florida Keys Community College by Professor Emily Boyd Lowe in January 1990, and now numbers 70-100 singers in full season. It is a true microcosm of the Keys population and represents multifaceted talents, backgrounds and interests.

In addition to being Monroe County’s only major vocal ensemble, the Keys Chorale has been a training ground for young musicians. Over the years, many high schools students have participated in the Chorale performances, sharpening their skills and going on to pursue music at colleges and universities, and some, having careers in music.

The Chorale performs at least one major work each term from the opera, oratorio or cantata literature plus lighter works from the popular music repertoire, including spirituals, love songs and songs of the season. Past programs have included Verdi’s Requiem, Charpentier’s Midnight Mass, Bach’s Magnificat, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Haydn’s Creation and Paukenmesse, performed with Capella Cracoviensis Orchestra from Poland, Faure’s Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Requiem, Schubert’s Mass in E-flat, Respighi’s Laud to the Nativity, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Magnificat by John Rutter, and both Brahm’s and Mozart’s Requiem.

The Keys Chorale has also been at the forefront of collaborative productions, having performed joint concerts with organizations such as the Key West Pops and Island Opera Theatre. And this spring, we will continue that tradition by featuring the Key West Contemporary Dance Company in our March concert.

Foreign trips have enriched the Chorale’s experiences. One trip included the Christ Church University in England. The Chorale has hosted prominent British musicians, workshops and recitals in return. The second trip included a performance at the Alton Lowe Garden Estate in May 2001, in the Abacos, the Bahamas. This was a particularly memorable trip as many Chorale members ancestors came to Key West from the Abacos. The Chorale was invited back in 2004 for the annual Island Roots Festival, celebrating the rich history between the Abacos and Key West. The Chorale has an open invitation to return for future performances at the Island Roots Festival, and plans to do so when the proper funding has been secured.

The popular April event, Concert Under the Stars, has been held at outdoor venues since 1993 and has featured various themes such as music from the Spanish American War, World War II, songs from the ’40s, Broadway or film movies, as well as opera choruses and a full-fledged opera, Dido and Aeneas by Purcell. Now held on the campus of Florida Keys Community College, the event is always an outdoor extravaganza, an occasion for both children and adults to enjoy picnics, sea breezes and stars. Last year’s concert, Love is in the Air, drew nearly 700 people to the Great Lawn at the campus of FKCC. This year’s concert entitled “Anything Goes,” will take place on April 25, 2009, and will feature some the Chorale’s (and our audience’s) favorite music.