Statement of Purpose
Inspired by the power of music to change lives, Conspirare engages audiences in extraordinary musical experiences through world-class choral performances and recordings.

Now in its 18th performance season, Conspirare, the nationally acclaimed professional choral organization based in Austin, Texas, combines outstanding vocal artistry with innovative programming to create a unique and dynamic choral art. Under the leadership of Founder and Artistic Director Craig Hella Johnson, Conspirare’s Company of Voices is comprised of: a professional chamber choir of extraordinarily talented singers from around the country that is presented in an annual concert series in Austin and other central Texas cities; a symphonic choir of both professional and volunteer singers that performs at least one large choral/orchestral work annually; and the Conspirare Youth Choirs, an education and performance program for young singers, ages 9-17.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) reports that only thirteen cities in the United States support a professional opera company, symphony, ballet and chorus. As the “Live Music Capital of the World,” Austin stands proud among these other great cities and further distinguishes itself by supporting a nationally recognized choir.

Conspirare produced its first commercial recording, “through the green fuse,” in 2004. A second CD, “Requiem,” was released in 2006 and received two 2007 Grammy® nominations (Best Choral Performance and Best Engineered Album, Classical). “Threshold of Night,” was released worldwide in September 2008 on the Harmonia Mundi label. This is Conspirare’s first title for the distinguished recording company, and the disc received two Grammy® nominations, again for “Best Choral Performance” and, in addition, for the prestigious “Best Classical Album”.

Conspirare has performed at New York’s Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. In 2005, the organization received the “Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence,” presented by Chorus America. As one of the select choruses in the country to receive a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for its American Masterpieces initiative, Conspirare presented “Crossing the Divide: Exploring Influence and Finding Our Voice.” The four-day festival in January 2007 featured a distinguished gathering of composers and conductors, performances of three world premieres, and a gala closing concert with a choir of 600 singers.

In July 2008, Conspirare represented the United States at the Eighth World Symposium on Choral Music in Copenhagen, joining invited choirs from nearly 40 countries. Later in October, in cooperation with KLRU, Conspirare filmed a television special for PBS, which was broadcast in March 2009 more than 200 times on more than 130 PBS-affiliate stations in nearly 40 states. This PBS special was released on DVD and CD by Harmonia Mundi in May 2009, and the CD was nominated for a Grammy®  in the category of “Best Classical Crossover Album.”

Conspirare’s 2008-2009 season consisted of 21 performances of seven different programs in Austin, Dallas, Fredericksburg, San Antonio, and Victoria. In March 2009, Conspirare was a special guest choir at the national convention of the American Choral Directors Association in Oklahoma City, and lead a “peace event” on the site of the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum.