Parkchester Chorus

       FOUNDED IN 1939, THE ORIGINAL NAME OF THE PARKCHESTER CHORUS WAS THE PARKCHESTER CHORAL SOCIETY.  THE FOUNDING MEMBERS WERE RESIDENTS OF THE PARKCHESTER HOUSING COMPLEX, WHICH WAS NEW AT THAT TIME.  THE NAME WAS CHANGED TO THE NEW COMMUNITY CHORUS FOR A SHORT WHILE IN THE EARLY 1940'S, BUT WAS LATER CHANGED TO ITS PRESENT NAME.

      THE CHORUS HAS HAD TEN DIRECTORS:  BERTON B. BREMER, PAUL J. THAYER, HOWARD LINDBERG, FLOYD WORTHINGTON, DON DAVID MCKEEVER, ALEXANDER BERNYK, JOHN CARTWRIGHT, WILLIAM F. STANLEY, LORRAINE O'BRIEN AND THE PRESENT DIRECTOR, LORRAINE C. NANKO.

      TWO CONCERTS ARE PRESENTED ANNUALLY.  A CHRISTMAS CONCERT IN DECEMBER  FEATURES CAROLS, CANTATAS AND OTHER MUSIC APPROPRIATE TO THE SEASON.  A SPRING CONCERT ON THE THIRD SUNDAY IN MAY FEATURES SHORT MASSES, ORATORIOS, SELECTIONS FROM GREAT CHORAL WORKS, FOLK SONGS, TUNES FROM MUSICAL COMEDIES AND OTHER LIGHT MUSIC.  

      THE CHORUS HAS COLLABORATED WITH THE RIVERDALE CHORAL SOCIETY AND THE BRONX SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.  THEY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER COLLABORATIVE SEASON IN THE FUTURE.

      THE PARKCHESTER CHORUS IS THE OLDEST CHORAL GROUP IN THE BRONX.  IT IS NOW A MULTI-ETHNIC, MULTI-RACIAL, NONSECTARIAN CHORAL GROUP WHICH DRAWS ITS MEMBERSHIP FROM THE TRI-STATE AREA.  THE PARKCHESTER CHORUS IS A VITAL PART OF THE CULTURAL LIFE OF THE BRONX.