History :

The Choral Arts Society of Southeastern Wisconsin, in its 20th Anniversary, is one of Southeastern Wisconsin’s finest choral organizations. Since its inception by founder and Artistic Director, James Schatzman, it has been Racine’s finest chorus, striving for excellence and higher artistic standards with each performance. Weeks after its founding as the Racine Symphonic Chorus, the chorus sang the Racine premiere of Ralph Vaughan Williams Hodie with the Racine Symphony Orchestra, under Maestro Stephen Colburn. The chorus was immediately invited back to sing a spring performance of works by American composer Aaron Copeland. That first season was brought to a glorious conclusion in a performance with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in celebration of Irving Berlin’s centennial, under renowned conductor and arranger Norman Leyden.

In the Spring of 2000 the board of directors voted to change the name Racine Symphonic Chorus to the Choral Arts Society of Southeastern Wisconsin. The chorus was originally formed to sing symphonic works with local orchestras, but each season the direction of the chorus changed to include works of all musical styles and the membership base now encompasses all of southeastern Wisconsin. The board of directors felt the new name better describes who we are and what we do.