Choral Arts Initiative

Inspired by the call to champion new choral music, Choral Arts Initiative works in partnership with composers and the community to illuminate emerging choral music, and to inspire musical creativity.

Founded by Artistic Director Brandon Elliott, Choral Arts Initiative is a non-profit 501(c)(3) choral organization comprised of some of the most talented and passionate new music vocal artists in the Southern California region. Widely recognized as a champion of new music, Choral Arts Initiative has been praised as "gracefully lyrical" (Tim Mangan, Voice of OC), hailed as one of Orange County’s "Best Choirs" (CBS News, Los Angeles), and noted for its "sublime" and "triumphant" performances (Ron Schepper, Textura). Winner of the American Prize in Choral Performance, recipient of the ASCAP/Chorus America Award for Adventurous Programming, and Winner of the San Francisco Classical Voice Audience Choice Awards for Best New Music Performance, Choral Arts Initiative continues its commitment to musical innovation. Their inaugural album, "How to Go On: The Choral Works of Dale Trumbore," ranked #6 on the Billboard Charts (Traditional Classical Albums), and #4 Best Seller on iTunes Classical Charts. Their second album, "From Wilderness: A Meditation on the Pacific Crest Trail" charted for three weeks on Billboard and was the #1 Best Seller on Amazon and iTunes. Their third album released on March 8, 2024, and quickly soared to #1 on the Billboard Charts (Traditional Classical Albums). Their passion for new music has led to the commission of twenty-five compositions and the premiere of over one hundred works.

In the past three years, Choral Arts Initiative has helped helped launch sustainable and successful careers for over 45 living composers across the globe, more than half of whom identify as female, BIPOC, or LGBTQIA+.

Our world-class recordings have charted on Billboard, iTunes, and Spotify reaching hundreds of thousands of streams.

Our performances have received critical acclaim and attention, recently receiving the Chorus America/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming. Nearly 70% of our entire repertoire performance history has been music composed by living artists who identify as female, LGBTQIA+, or BIPOC.

Your support will:

Ensure Artistic Excellence: Professional venues allow us to maintain the highest level of choral artistry in both rehearsals and performances.

Expand Administrative Capacity: Increasing staff support will provide the infrastructure needed to sustain CAI’s artistic and operational growth, ensuring long-term organizational stability.

Enhance Audience Engagement: Strengthening our administrative team will allow for greater outreach efforts, audience development, and marketing strategies to expand our reach.

Support Financial Sustainability: Reducing operational strain allows us to allocate resources toward programming, commissioning, and outreach, ensuring CAI’s long-term success.

Southern California through performances and globally through engagement activities and world-class recordings.

Choral Arts Initiative is Orange County’s only professional choral ensemble dedicated exclusively to new music, bringing the voices of today’s composers to life for our community. By championing living artists from around the world, we not only amplify the stories and experiences of our time but also preserve them for future generations. Supporting CAI means investing in the evolution of choral music, ensuring that today’s artistry becomes tomorrow’s history.