About Us and Our Mission
The St. Cecilia Chamber Choir is named after the patron saint of choral music and was formed in 1995 to promote excellence in choral singing in Mid-Coast Maine. Directed by Linda Blanchard with the assistance of accompanist Sean Fleming, the Choir specializes in sacred music of the Renaissance and English choral traditions that rely on a straight vocal tone (no vibrato). The Choir regularly performs compositions from contemporary composers as well, including composers residing in Maine.
The Choir’s members hail from communities across Mid-Coast Maine from Rockland to Dresden and are selected following an audition process.
The mission of St. Cecilia Chamber Choir is:
- to present outstanding performances of the very best choral repertoire
- to provide challenging musical opportunities for gifted local youth
- to support our community with outreach programs
- to support Maine composers through the commissioning of new music
Since the Choir's inception, eighteen gifted young students have sung with us, many continuing to study music in college and beyond. In recent years the Choir has twice provided scholarship grants to young members of the Choir going on to college.
Community outreach concerts have benefited the Damariscotta Baptist Church Steeple Fund, the Great Salt Bay School lunch program, Skidompha Library, Round Top Center for the Arts, the Kennedy Leadership Center at Kieve, the historic Old German Church in Waldoboro, the historic St. John's Church in Dresden and the Waldo Theater.
To date, we have performed sixteen new works by Maine composers, ten of which were especially composed for the Choir.
