Editor’s Note: Jack Becker, Librarian Emeritus, TTU Libraries, is the editor of Caprock Chronicles. He can be reached at jack.becker@ttu.edu. Today’s article is by Weston Marshall, an archivist at the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library and a member of the Lubbock Chorale.
The Lubbock Chorale traces its origins to a 300-voice community performance during the 1976 United States Bicentennial celebration, which established a tradition of community participation that remains central to its work today.
As part of Lubbock’s Bicentennial festivities, a community sing-along event was held at Lowrey Field and featured patriotic and American Folk songs led by director Jeff Berta of First Presbyterian Church.
Among the eight pieces performed were “Ode to Freedom” by Robert Washburn and “Americana” by Luigi Zaninelli.
Afterwards, a small group of singers formed the Lubbock Civic Chorale (LCC) in September 1976. Beginning with eighteen members, the ensemble was created to provide high-quality choral music for Lubbock and the South Plains while remaining open to community singers.
Membership was based on audition and joined singers with various levels of music education and backgrounds.
Early newspaper coverage highlighted the Chorale’s mix of trained musicians and community members who valued the opportunity to sing choral music.
The Chorale began presenting public concerts soon after its formation. In 1977, it performed with the Municipal Band in the city’s Summer Concert Series.
By December 1978, the Chorale named Moses Turner, Dean of Student Life at Texas Tech University, as the director of the Chorale.
In its early years, the Chorale operated under the sponsorship of the City of Lubbock Parks and Recreation Department and was officed at the Garden and Arts Center at 4215 University Avenue.
In 1980, it became a self-supporting organization funded by dues, grants and donations. Membership grew to more than 50 singers within its first decade, and audiences regularly numbered in the hundreds.
Through the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Chorale expanded its programming and presence.
Concerts were given several times a year in Lubbock and surrounding communities, including appearances at the Lubbock Arts Festival.
The choir performed works by Bach, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Vaughan Williams, Verdi, Vivaldi, and Bruckner, with Handel’s Messiah becoming an annual tradition.
Other large works followed, including Haydn’s Creation in 1982 and Handel’s Samson in 1984.
That same year, the Lubbock Civic Chorale joined the Texas Tech combined choirs and orchestra to perform Beethoven’s Mass in C.
In 1985, the Chorale participated in Texas Tech’s annual scholarship concert at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center alongside the university choir and orchestra.
Based upon previous collaborations and successful performances, the Lubbock Civic Chorale merged with the Texas Tech Choral Union to form the University-Civic Chorale in 1987.
This merger was made official with the signing of a proclamation by Mayor B. C. “Peck” McMinn and Donald Haragan, Vice President for Academic Affairs at TTU.
At this time, Donald Bailey, Director of Choral Activities at TTU, served as director and conductor.
Prior to that, Kevin Richie served as director. The combined group maintained its civic identity while strengthening its collegiate ties, thus creating a larger ensemble capable of performing major choral-orchestral works.
Following the merger, the Chorale expanded its repertoire and performance scale, presenting contemporary works such as Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, and Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, a new collaboration emerged when the Chorale preformed Handel’s Messiah with The Orchestra of Santa Fe.
The ensemble changed its name to The Lubbock Chorale in October 1992 and has continued to grow in size and reputation.
Recent Artistic Directors/Conductors include Kenneth Davis beginning in 1991, John Dickson from 2001 to 2008, and John Hollins from approximately 2008 to 2020.
The Chorale is currently led by Alan Zabriskie, who became Artistic Director in January 2021, while directing the Choral Studies at TTU.
Education remains central to the Chorale’s mission.
Scholarships are awarded to Texas Tech School of Music students through membership dues and an annual scholarship banquet.
The ensemble continues to include both students and community singers. Membership consistently exceeds more than 100 singers each season.
The Lubbock Chorale frequently collaborates with Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, the West Texas Children’s Chorus, Lubbock Christian University choirs, and other organizations to present masterworks, including recent performances like Orff’s Carmina Burana, Haydn’s Creation, and Brahm’s Requiem.
This past season (2025-2026), the Lubbock Chorale celebrated its 50th anniversary with a series of four celebratory concerts.
Their performance on May 9, 2026 was A Celebration of American Folk Songs, a fitting season finale concert that reflected the Lubbock Chorale’s origins at the 1976 Bicentennial sing-along event.
The tradition of musical excellence continues as The Lubbock Chorale prepares for their 2026-2027 season, and especially their upcoming performance at New York City’s Carnegie Hall in April 2027.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Caprock Chronicles on the Lubbock Chorale’s 50 years of excellence
Reporting by By Weston Marshall, special for the Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
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