The Stockton Chorale

In 1951 eight singers sat around the kitchen table in the home of Arthur J. Holton II and his wife Thelma. Founded by Dr. Holton, they called their group the Choral Art Singers. Less than a year later they chose the name of Stockton Chorale and began scheduling concerts. Seven years later the Stockton Chorale was an auditioned community chorus of 22 voices. Today, the Chorale numbers around 70 singers from communities all over the Central Valley and foothills. The Chorale has shared its vocal talents far beyond the county limits, traveling to perform in Australia, New Zealand, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center Music in New York City. The group performed at the Salzburg Music Festival in Austria and sang in a concert tour of Italy that included St. Peter’s Cathedral in the Vatican and concerts in Venice and Florence. One tour included the Shrewsbury Music Festival in England with additional concerts in Wales. In 2001 as part of the fiftieth anniversary celebration, the Chorale toured and performed in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. The Chorale has also performed in Ireland at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and in Scotland at Edinburgh Castle’s Great Hall. Musical outreach sponsored by the Chorale includes the Youth Chorale (grades 4-8), Valley Youth Chamber Choir (grades 9-12), the Master Chorale, a chamber chorus that performs a cappella, and the Stockton Singers, a non-auditioned adult chorus. The Stockton Chorale is Stockton’s community choir. Since 1952 we've offered singing opportunities for singers aged 9 to 90 at all levels of experience.