Welcome to the William Baker Choral Foundation!


For nearly four decades our Festival Singers choirs have offered singers and audiences the opportunity to be a part of the life-changing world of immortal music.  The New South Festival Singers, based in Atlanta, is our original ensemble created in 1985.  The Kansas City based William Baker Festival Singers was created in 1998.

In the tradition of our Festival Singers’ choirs, our newest initiatives, Vox Venti Chicago, under the direction of Ed Frazier Davis, and Voces Festivas, under the direction of Leilani Velasco-Vaughn, launched their inaugural seasons in the 2022-2023 concert year.

The Choral Foundation has even ventured into the realm of instrumental music with the creation of Kansas City Bronze, a six octave community handbell ensemble comprised of bell directors and experienced ringers chosen by competitive audition.  Kansas City Bronze performs hymn settings and concert pieces by leading composer in concerts throughout the Heartland region.

The Summer Singers provide opportunities for adults and mature youth from all backgrounds and musical experience to sing timeless masterworks in collaboration with the finest professional soloists and orchestral musicians.  These include Summer Singers of AtlantaSummer Singers of Kansas CityCobb Summer Singers, and Summer Singers of Lee's Summit

Educational opportunities and resources abound through The Choral Foundation.  The Institute for Healthy Singing & Voice Research (IHS&VR), under the leadership of Dr. Jamea Sale and her professional staff, provides instruction in vocal hygiene and health to singers from children to senior adult, as well as music educators, church musicians, singing teachers, and public speakers.  Fellows of the IHS&VR have served singing populations worldwide including onsite visits to China (2019) and Kenya (2023). Our Choral Intern program has provided hands-on experience for aspiring conductors in degree programs at the Bachelor's and Master's level and is eligible for graduate level continuing education credit through MidAmerica Nazarene University and the IHS&VR.  Over three dozen alumni of these programs serve in significant church, school and university positions across the nation.

The Institute for Choral Creativity (ICC), created in 2020 and now based in our Chicago office, has sponsored annual composition contests attracting hundreds of applicants from across the globe.  The ICC seeks to bring meaningful connection between composers of worthy new music and ensembles committed to supporting and performing these innovative works. Each year the top two compositions receive cash awards, travel stipends and world premiers performed by Choral Foundation ensembles.

Amber Waves Music Publishing offers a wide variety of published music and choral recordings for both the professional conductor and the choral enthusiast.  The Jane Sullivan Choral Resource Library (JSCRL) has become one of the largest independent repositories of choral music in the Midwest.  JSCRL provides grants of music scores to organizations serving under-privileged populations, and rental services to church, school and community organizations nationwide.  Choral Conversations Podcast provides interesting insights through monthly interviews with choral leaders from a diversity of interest areas.

The Choral Foundation is here to serve the choral community. Please contact us today to tell us how!

Soli Deo Gloria,
William O. Baker, DMA
Founder & Director