PROGRAM CHOIR OF BALTIMORE
A Choir for the busy singer
Baltimore is a city full of busy professionals with careers, families, and plenty of activities already. Program Choir of Baltimore offers a calendar that appeals to singers who want a quality choir to sing with, but can't make a year-long commitment. We offer three "programs" per year.
What is a "program"?
It's a 6-9 week long period of weekly rehearsals that culminate in a performance.
What makes us different?
We don't ask you to sing every program to be considered a member of the choir.
Is the music an important part of your holiday experience? Then join us for the December program.
Do you get bored stiff in the winter, but travel a lot in the spring? Join us for the winter program, but skip out on the spring program.
Do you want to sing all of the programs because you enjoy being a member of this community? Then welcome!
What type of repertoire do we perform?
We focus on the "classical" choral music experience, ranging from Renaissance to modern-day compositions. Our repertoire has ranged from madrigals to choral masterworks, and everything in between. 2023-2024 repertoire has included Benjamin Britten's Ceremony of Carols, Vivaldi's Gloria, Moira Smiley's arrangement of Bring Me Little Water Silvey, and Morten Lauridsen's Dirait-on.
Meet our director
Justine Koontz is a seventh-generation Marylander whose work in music explores questions of identity. Her work, encompassing composing, entrepreneurship and self-publishing, conducting, teaching, and international scholarship, explores how music defines people and their relationships.
Her compositions have been performed at local, national, and international venues, including performances at the 2019 London Festival of Contemporary Church Music, the 2018 Intercollegiate Men's Chorus's National Seminar, and the 2012 World Choir Games. An avid entrepreneur, she self-publishes her compositions.
As a conductor, Justine is especially interested in new music and has premiered works at Butler University, at the Oregon Bach Festival Composers' Symposium, and with the Azimuth Orchestra. As an advocate for community music-making, she has worked for a variety of churches as a choir director, and has sung with a wide variety of community choirs. She has been the Music Minister at Memorial Episcopal Church in Baltimore since 2018.
Other musical activities have included international scholarship and teaching. Curious about the phenomenon of "singing cultures," Justine completed a year of study in Latvia on a Fulbright scholarship, where she researched the country's choral culture. As a teacher, she has led many workshops for children in Indianapolis and Baltimore. She also teaches a private studio of piano and guitar students of all ages.
Justine completed an M.M. in choral conducting and composition at Butler University and a B.A. in music theory and composition at McDaniel College, where her primary instrument was classical guitar. She has completed additional studies at Juilliard, Peabody, the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Music Academy, and the Conductor's Institute. She is an active member of ASCAP and Chorus America. She lives outside of Baltimore, and when she is not making music, she is usually engaged in fine craft or gardening.