2026 Alfred Nash Patterson Grant Recipients

Choral Arts New England is delighted to announce the funding of 15 project grants totaling $33,000. Award recipients represent choral organizations from five of the six New England states.

Award recipients will be honored at our grant ceremony in the fall of 2026, and the projects are described below from excerpts of the applications. In addition, where a recipient received a named grant, is listed next to the recipient’s name.

Congratulations to all our awardees, and please stay tuned for our next application cycle to open for 2026!
 

Boston Arts Academy Foundation — Boston MA 
Boston Arts Academy Choral Program: Expanding Artistic Excellence and Access

Boston Arts Academy seeks support for its comprehensive choral program, serving diverse high school vocalists through rigorous repertoire, collaborative performance, and equitable access to high-quality choral Artistry.

Boston Workers Circle — Brookline, MA
A Besere Velt Yiddish Chorus & The Klezmatics Come to Boston!

In Spring 2027, A Besere Velt will present Yiddish songs together with the acclaimed Klezmatics. The program features a mix of traditional Yiddish songs of labor, immigrant, and civil rights movements as well as contemporary Yiddish music.

Brattleboro Music Center — Brattleboro VT
Brattleboro Concert Choir & CONCORA: Geoff Hudson’s A Passion for the Planet
Irving Forbes Centennial Grant

This project is a collaboration between the Connecticut-based professional choir Connecticut Choral Artists (CONCORA) and the Brattleboro Music Center’s (BMC) Brattleboro Concert Choir to present Geoff Hudson’s oratorio A Passion for the Planet.

Chorus pro Musica — Boston, MA
Anthracite Fields - Giving Voice to America's Labor History

Anthracite Fields brings to life the working conditions in the mines; child labor use; the strengths of miners' families; how organized labor gained protection for miners and security for their families; and our role in using energy resources daily.

Community Chorus at South Berwick — South Berwick, ME
Alzheimer's Stories
Richard Coffey Grant

The Community Chorus at South Berwick, in partnership with the University of New Hampshire Concert Choir, and a local Alzheimer's Association chapter propose a performance and community education event featuring Robert Cohen’s Alzheimer’s Stories.

Coro Allegro — Boston, MA
Trans Requiem
Lorna Cooke deVaron Grant

The Trans Requiem by trans composer Andrew Yee, will have its Boston premiere in November 2026 by Coro Allegro, Boston’s LGBTQ+ and allied classical chorus, orchestra, and trans singers Breanna Sinclairé, soprano, and Katherine Goforth, tenor.

Greater Middletown Chorale, Inc. — Middletown, CT
Celebrating GMChorale's 50 years with Brand's Sing On! and Britten's St. Nicolas
Hammond Family Grant

Honoring GMChorale’s 50th, Maestro Joseph D’Eugenio conducts a special choral concert featuring CT composer, Tom Brand’s new work, Sing On! And Benjamin Britten’s St. Nicolas, Op. 42, on 11/15/2026 4pm Santo Fragilio PA Center, Middletown, CT.

Master Singers of Lexington  — Lexington, MA
No Dream Required

Presenting a new choral work by composer Michael Weinstein with a text by Cliff Blake that draws on the speeches of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and affirms the power of empathy, sacrifice and love to make Dr. King’s dream a living reality.

Master Singers of Worcester — Worcester, MA
Connecticut premiere of And My Neighbor is...
Saxton Family Grant

This performance is a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the MSW, serving as our pledge to choral music as a tool for social awareness and change. This premiere promises to be a shining example for community-building through creative voices.

South Shore Children's Chorus — Quincy, MA
South Shore Sings: A One-Night Choir Series

South Shore Sings: One-Night Choir brings community members together to learn and sing a piece of music in a single evening. No auditions, experience, or performance required, just an open invitation to gather,connect, and raise our voices in song.

Southeastern Mass. Festival Chorus — Taunton, MA
SMFC at "Music on the Lawn"

The Fall River Carousel presents "Music on the Lawn", featuring the Southeastern Massachusetts Festival Chorus performing "The Wonderful World of Stage and Screen" on August 8, 2026 at 3pm.

The Chelmsford Children's Chorus — Chelmsford, MA
2026 Summer Chorus
Choral Arts New England Board Grant

The Chelmsford Children’s Chorus will host a one-week 2026 Summer Chorus camp for grades 2–8, featuring a notable guest conductor, high-level choral training, a community performance, and opening the Red Sox game at Fenway Park on August 9.

The Chorus of Westerly — Westerly, RI
Encore Choir
Choral Arts New England Board Chairs Grant

A new Encore Choir for older adults is joining the Chorus of Westerly family of ensembles! Designed for connection, artistry, and joy, this ensemble offers meaningful music-making, daytime rehearsals, and two concerts annually.

The Vernon Chorale, Inc. — Vernon, CT
Vernon Chorale Conducting Fellowship

The Vernon Chorale Conducting Fellowship advances aspiring conductors’ skills and careers through a hands-on community choir experience. Its expansion would add paid collegiate instrumentalists and professional recordings for Fellows' debut concerts.

Worcester Children's Chorus — Worcester, MA
2027 One Voice! Youth Choral Festival

Worcester Children's Chorus (WCC) is presenting a day-long youth choral festival in 2026-2027, which will be done in collaboration with One Voice Youth Choral Consortium and provide youth access to exceptional music education.

 

Choral Arts New England's Named Grants

The Hammond Family grant, instituted by Carrie and Jonathan Hammond, is intended to support a collaborative effort or to celebrate a milestone, preferably in Connecticut.

The Saxton Family grant, instituted by Jonathan Saxton and Barbara Fox, is intended to support a unique, engaging effort in an underserved area or by a non-auditioned choir.

The Irving Forbes Centennial grant is intended to support projects involving community choruses performing large works with orchestra, and/or music that celebrates nature and the outdoors.

The Richard Coffey grant, instituted by friends of the visionary conductor and organist Richard Coffey, seeks to support projects of any kind that are transformative for the funded institution, whether musical, organizational, or experiential. In the event that no worthy project matches these criteria, the grant will be given at the discretion of the Board.

The Lorna Cooke deVaron grant, named in memory of one of the leading women choral conductors of the 20th century, instituted by Joseph & Fiona Horning, is intended to support new music or adventurous programming.

The Choral Arts New England Board grant, sponsored by contributions from the Board members of Choral Arts New England, is intended to advance the priorities of the Board in any given year. 

The Choral Arts New England Board Chairs grant is sponsored by contributions from the former Chairs and Vice Chairs of Choral Arts New England.