about Our Chorus
OUR MISSION
The mission of SoCo Women’s Chorus is to provide Central Texas singers with the experience of musical artistry and excellence through choral singing and group performance. Our chorus is dedicated to reflecting Austin’s diversity and providing community service through music. We welcome singers of all gender identities with voices in the treble (soprano and alto) range.
OUR SHARED VALUES
Community & Belonging
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Diversity & Inclusion
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Service
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Artistic Integrity
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Expression & Creativity
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Excellence
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Passion
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Community & Belonging • Diversity & Inclusion • Service • Artistic Integrity • Expression & Creativity • Excellence • Passion •
OUR CHORUS
SoCo Women’s Chorus was established by Founding Artistic Director, Janey Hall, in 2012 and is now led by Artistic Director Lisa Holt. The chorus is currently made up of approximately 50 talented singers who come from diverse backgrounds and musical abilities. We are students, teachers, lawyers, business owners, mentors, caregivers, health care professionals, musicians, managers, and retirees. We honor our diversity of ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, spiritual beliefs, and abilities. We celebrate our common love for creating and sharing music for our community, with songs ranging from medieval to contemporary, from western to global, and from classical to folk.
Music for OUR Community
For many of us, the SoCo Women’s Chorus is our home away from home. We share a lot of hugs, some tears, a great deal of laughter, and a welcoming, kind, and generous spirit. We have extended the joy that we find in singing together to our community by assisting organizations such as Safe Place and the Central Texas Food Bank, by contributing much needed items to hurricane evacuees who have found themselves uprooted and displaced in our city, and by donating toys to Operation Blue Santa. We have performed at numerous community events, including Austin’s Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure and More Than Pink Walk, Round Rock Express and Texas Stars games, Austin Monthly’s Wonder Women Luncheon and Expo, Chuy’s Children Giving to Children parade, Austin Trail of Lights, and for patrons of our public library system. We also performed at a Naturalization Ceremony held at the LBJ Library, where nearly 300 people from over 70 countries acquired their US citizenship. Additionally, we provide the enrichment of music through performances for Central Texas seniors at Austin Senior Activity Centers, AGE of Central Texas, and a number of local nursing homes. Check out our events page to see where we’ll be singing next.
Music for the World
SoCo Women’s Chorus toured Spain in June 2018 and Ireland in July 2015. Each tour included performances in beautiful, historic venues and the opportunity to build strong, lasting friendships amongst chorus members. In Spain, SoCo Women’s Chorus was privileged to sing at the Sagrada Familia, an UNESCO World Heritage site, in Barcelona as well as a small church in the town of L’Ametlla de Mar where both the acoustics and audience were magical. In Ireland, the chorus had the honor of singing at the Dublin mayor’s residence. Other memorable performances included an empowering and joyful experience joining two local women’s choruses in Galway and an impromptu concert performed for the chorus by a senior center audience. Both tours revealed the power of music to unite.
Supporting Musical Talent
We take immense pride in being able to award an annual scholarship to a college freshman who is majoring in an area of vocal music. First awarded in the spring of 2017, this scholarship was initially funded by a generous donor in memory of Melody Claire Hall, oldest daughter of Founding Artistic Director Janey Hall, whose life was tragically cut short in her teen years. Click here to learn more about the Melody Claire Hall Voice Scholarship.
Our History
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Winter 2023
Holiday Movie Magic shared music from beloved holiday films like Home Alone, The Polar Express and The Grinch
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Spring 2023
Wildflowers was a vibrant and inspiring concert featuring an array of music composed solely by women
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Winter 2022
Carols at Candlelight was a winter celebration including Gospel music, songs in Latin, Swahili, Hebrew, and everything in between
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Spring 2022
Who We Are was a grateful commemoration of a decade of SoCo Women's Chorus community and song, and an embrace of new artistic adventures ahead
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Winter 2021
Winter Wonderland was a joyous return to performing live and rekindling the song that lives in each of our hearts
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Winter 2020 / Spring 2021
Virtual Postcards kept us singing thanks to technology through virtual holiday and seasonal performances
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Spring 2020
Flight, presented virtually, was Founding Artistic Director Janey Hall’s final concert with SoCo Women’s Chorus and included her favorite songs across the chorus’ 8-year repertoire
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Winter 2019
Merry & Bright was a musical potpourri of delightful, seasonal numbers
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Spring 2019
Broadway, Baby! showcased musical theatre tunes from 1935 to the present
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Winter 2018
Ethereal was a concert of heavenly music – evoking the sky, the clouds, and the stars above
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Summer 2018
SoCo Women’s Chorus Chamber Ensemble toured Spain, performing in Madrid, Toledo, Valencia, L’aMetlla de Mar, and Barcelona, with a special concert at the Sagrada Familia
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Spring 2018
¡Cantar! was a live performance featuring Spanish music, which would later be performed on tour in Spain
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Winter 2017
Feels Like Home celebrated the comfort of the winter holidays
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Summer 2017
SoCo Women’s Chorus was honored to perform for the U.S. District Judge’s Naturalization Ceremony at the LBJ Library Auditorium at the University of Texas. The chorus was also invited by Austin Monthly Magazine to perform for the Wonder Women EXPO at the Garden Hilton Hotel in downtown Austin.
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Spring 2017
5 celebrated SoCo Women’s Chorus fifth anniversary with audience favorites at the Paramount’s historic Stateside Theatre in downtown Austin
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Winter 2016
Concert For the Children featured the Austin Children’s Choir
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Spring 2016
Regal Women was a musical dedication to female royalty
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Winter 2015
Winter Song celebrated the season once more at Ballet Austin’s AustinVentures StudioTheater
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Summer 2015
SoCo Women’s Chorus Chamber Ensemble performed across Ireland, including a number of historic cathedrals and the residence of the Mayor of Dublin
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Spring 2015
Seasons of Love was presented at the William B. Travis High School Theatre and included the first performance of "Irish Blessing,” which became SoCo Women’s Chorus’ signature closing song for all future concerts
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Winter 2014
Believe was a concert held at the Paramount’s historic Stateside Theatre in downtown Austin
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Spring 2014
Americana marked another concert joined by members of the Turtle Creek Chorale
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Winter 2013
Winter Postcards was a performance marking SoCo Women's Chorus’ first anniversary
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Fall 2013
Faure’s Requiem was a joint performance with the Turtle Creek Chorale to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy
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Spring 2013
How Can I Keep From Singing was a sold out concert at Ballet Austin’s AustinVentures StudioTheater
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Winter 2012
Come To The Music was SoCo Women's Chorus debut concert