The Berkshire Lyric nurtures the art of fine choral singing. It presents a year-round program of exceptional and diverse concerts, and also provides educational, scholarship and performance opportunities for young musicians. Founded in 1963 by Robert Blafield, Berkshire Lyric is a non-profit organization that receives broad support from the local community as it continues to serve Berkshire County and the three nearby states from its home in downtown Pittsfield.
About the Berkshire Lyric Theatre
The Berkshire Lyric has several components. The Berkshire Lyric Chorus performs major works from the choral repertoire, including masterpieces of J.S. Bach, Handel, and Mozart. In addition, the chorus performs great a cappella works from several centuries and cultures. The Blafield Children's Chorus is named in honor of our founding director, and presents its own concerts along with joint ventures with the Berkshire Lyric Chorus, most recently adding their etheral clarity to the Faure Requeim. The choir welcomes Meghan Gillespie as its new director in 2009. Berkshire Lyric also sponsors the Young Musicians Scholarship Program. Now in it's tenth year, this unique program has provided thousands of dollars in direct scholarships to young singers and instrumentalists from the four state area. Berkshire Lyric sponsors a College Choral Festival in the spring for Berkshire County colleges and as a new outreach to high schools in 2008, has started The Berkshire Lyric Choral Scholar Program to help identify and support talented high school singers.
Artistic Director-Jack Brown
The Berkshire Lyric welcomed Jack Brown as its new director in 2007. He brings a wide range of musical experience to the Berkshire Lyric. He is well known to our audience as a singer, having taken the solo baritone parts in many of our well received concerts over the years including Bach's B Minor Mass, Bloch's Sacred Service and Mendelssohn's Elijah. He has appeared as a soloist with every choral society in the region including Albany Pro Musica and the Berkshire Bach Society. Nationally he continues to perform as a soloist, most recently in the Brahms Requiem in Georgia and Beethoven 9th in Illinois. His early training as an instrumentalist was followed by his primary vocal study with Richard Cross at Juilliard and choral conducting with Robert Baker of Yale and Union Theological Seminary. A native of Philadelphia and a long time New Yorker, he now lives in Stockbridge. Jack is the choral director at Simon's Rock College in Great Barrington and at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams. He is also on the faculty at the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, CT. and at The Berkshire Music School in Pittsfield where he teaches voice.
Membership
All singer are welcome to join the BLT. There is no audition, but the director may ask you to sing to know where to place you in the choir.
Dues are $50.00 per 1/2 season: Fall and Spring. Dues help support the purchase of music and some administrative costs.
DONATIONS
Donations are very important to the BLT. Dues and revenues from concerts do not begin to cover the costs for a season. A gift to the BLT will ensure the future of this well-established organization, now in it's 45th year. Having a party/outing. Consider contacting the BLT to provide a short program of entertainment for your event.
Contact Information
Berkshire Lyric Theatre PO Box 347 Pittsfield, MA 01202 413 499-0258
