O UR STORY:
In September of 1993, following a summer of grass-root recruitment, forty-eight singers came together under the direction of local choir director and organist, Eric Brown, to prepare a holiday musical program. Three months later, 'A Christmas Concert' was performed for a small, yet overwhelmingly appreciative crowd at the Memorial United Methodist Church of Taunton, Massachusetts. The name of this very young, but extremely enthusiastic ensemble was The Bristol-Plymouth Community Chorus. Its goal was to give local audiences and members alike the opportunity to experience a bold approach to choral performance through the presentation of fun, high-spirited and colorful choral productions.

Word of this new community group and its dynamic young director quickly spread, and soon the group had added more singers and nearly doubled its audience. During those early years, the chorus experimented liberally with its fresh approach by incorporating costumed soloists, choreography, and whimsical scenery into its performances. It was also during this time that the group began to seed what would become its signature orchestra.

In the summer of 1996, the group presented a cabaret-style production staged at a renowned local landmark, the Roseland Ballroom. The event, which featured costumes, a guest dance troupe, and special effects lighting, marked a major turning point for the chorus. This was the first time the group had ventured away from its home at Memorial United Methodist Church, and it was then that the creative partnership between Music Director Eric Brown and Artistic Director Steven Sprague was forged. It was also then that a name change for the group was first considered.

Although the name change was postponed, it was decided that a principal goal for the group would be to seek out diverse venues in a variety of locales where the chorus would perform. Over the next several years, the group upheld this new priority by staging concerts at auditoriums in Somerset, Middleboro, Bridgewater, and Taunton, in the sanctuaries of Taunton's First Parish, St. Mary's, and Annunciation of Our Lord Churches, as well as the recently restored Middleboro Town Hall.

With travel to more widespread areas, membership expanded to include singers from a much larger geographical area, and it became evident that the time for the name change had come. In spring of 2002, the group officially became the Southeastern Massachusetts Festival Chorus (SMFC), adopting a name that better reflected the group’s membership, audience and mission. During this time, the group also introduced audition requirements as well as formal performance attire.

Throughout the years, the group has experienced many exciting new challenges. In 1998, a youth chorus was introduced under the direction of SMFC Assistant Music Director Corinne Varjabedian. First named BPCC Kids, and later renamed Festival Youth Chorus, the group remained a vibrant part of SMFC's organization and performances until Corinne’s retirement in 2009. The SMFC Orchestra, which began humbly as a small pit ensemble to accompany the chorus, has evolved into a full, professionally staffed, symphonic orchestra that has enhanced SMFC's concerts as well as its reputation in the music community. SMFC's Idol Search, first launched in 2007, annually offers talented contestants from across Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island the opportunity to audition for a highlighted solo in the group’s concerts. And SMFC's 2009 holiday performance marked another milestone for SMFC – the group’s first commissioned piece, for which its Canadian composer, Mr. Vince Gassi, traveled from his home in Toronto to guest conduct.

In addition to presenting its own concerts, SMFC has proudly accepted invitations to perform as guests at numerous community and regional events. The group has toured to such exciting venues as Tweeter Center’s Fourth of July Celebration, Martha's Vineyard Tabernacle, Boston's Hynes Center and the Providence Performing Arts Center. And recognizing the importance of giving back to the community to which it owes its support, SMFC routinely performs at local events such as the Relay for Life, Hospice services, the La Salette Shrine, Taunton's Lights On Festival and concerts to benefit local charitable organizations.

Through SMFC's many changes, a few core priorities have remained constant, however, and that is the group's love of music, its team-spirited commitment to musical excellence, and its basic, earnest desire to have fun in the process. As SMFC embarks upon a new decade, these principles remain the same as they look forward to presenting 'Lost at Sea' in yet another new venue for the group – the 'Whaling City' of New Bedford. SMFC is tremendously thankful for the enduring support it receives from its audience and the community and truly hopeful that its supporters will continue to enjoy this journey with them.