The Dubuque Chorale is a community choral organization composed of singers from Dubuque and outlying communities. Dennis Williams founded the group in 1971. The chorale's initial purpose was to study and perform the great choral masterworks with orchestra; the first season featured Handel's Messiah and Haydn's Creation. Since then the group has performed over 60 major choral works, and its mission has evolved to include all great choral music. The Chorale's 40 years of performances, reaching well over 40,000 people, attests to the accomplishment of this mission.
In 1986 the Chorale began a collaboration with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra with the performance of that year's Holiday Concerts. The relationship continues today, with the Chorale typically joining the DSO for Holiday Pops, and a featured work in the spring as part of the symphony's subscription series. On its own, the Chorale performs a concert in the fall and in the spring, an outdoor show in the summer, and occasionally participates in other engagements.
In 1994 the Dubuque Chorale embarked on its first international tour to England and Wales. Since then members of the organization have visited and performed in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Italy (singing for a mass at the Vatican), Switzerland, New Zealand, and Australia (singing with renowned conductor Eric Whitacre at the Sydney Opera House). In June 2011 the toured and performed in New York City along with community and university singers from the Wisconsin communities of Platteville, Mt. Horeb, and Fond du Lac.
In 2009, Dr. Bob Demaree accepted the position of music director and conductor of the Dubuque Chorale, replacing Fran Vogt (2006-2009). During the past 40 years, over 1,100 local residents have sung with the Chorale. Many members are professional musicians, private music teachers, and music teachers in area colleges and public and private, elementary, middle, and high schools. Because of the availability of the Chorale, many other local residents who enjoy singing classical chorale music can continue their passion for chorale singing. In addition, the group invites students participating in music programs in Dubuque-area colleges to join them as they perform such pieces as Beethoven's 9th Symphony, Mozart's Requiem, Bach's Magnificat, and other major works with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra.
Bob Demaree assumed directorship of the Dubuque Chorale
in the fall of 2009. He has been a member of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville
faculty since 1992, where he conducts the Chamber Choir, the Coro
D'Angeli women's choir, and the Singing Pioneers men's choir,
and teaches choral conducting, choral literature, and music
history.
In 2000, Demaree was awarded UWP's Outstanding Advisor to a Student Organization Award, and in the fall of 2001, he was named a recipient of the Alliant Energy/Underkofler Award for Teaching Excellence. This prestigious award was one of four given in 2001 to faculty from the Wisconsin System. He is a past president of WCDA and was the chair for their 2004 and 2005 state conventions.
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