The New York-based ensemble Choral Chameleon brings their rich harmonies and adventurous programming back to the Mahaney Arts Center (MAC) this month for two very different choral experiences this January: a traditional choral concert on Saturday, Jan. 18, and a free “choral installation” on Wednesday, Jan. 22. Choral Chameleon last visited Middlebury in 2022 for both a concert and a sold-out sound bath event that left audiences clamoring for more.

The Saturday, Jan. 18 concert will kick off a weeklong campus residency with a program entitled “Control” in the Mahaney Arts Center’s Robison Hall. The music will explore the timeless and complex relationship between parents and children, and the eternal push and pull between generations — bound by love, yet separated by perspective. Featuring original choral works and arrangements by composers including Bela Bartók, Michael McGlynn, John Corigliano, Manuel de Falla, Duncan Sheik, and Janet Jackson, this evening of choral music examines the deeply nuanced bond between those who raise us and those we raise. This concert will also be streamed.

Then on Wednesday evening, Jan. 22, Choral Chameleon will transform the Mahaney Arts Center into a creative choral installation, with singers throughout the building. This world premiere of the new work “I Am” was written for Middlebury by Choral Chameleon’s founder and artistic director Vince Peterson, with a libretto by Ryan Bauer-Walsh. Choral Chameleon’s Director of Education and Touring, Ronnie Romano (Middlebury class of 2020, and a prolific choral director locally) has gathered together a group of students and community singers who will perform alongside the guest artists. Audiences will move through the MAC at their own pace, discovering music as they go, and creating their own unique musical experience. This event is free and open to all.

About Choral Chameleon

Since 2008, Choral Chameleon has been redefining what a choral music concert can be. With a mission to “bridge gaps between genres of music and thus between groups of people and cultures [and] to eradicate the stigma of elitism in the classical music world…”, they are fearless champions of new work and re-imaginers of timeless repertoire across centuries, paving the way for change throughout the American choral music landscape.

Recipients of the Chorus America/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming, Choral Chameleon has been profiled and reviewed in major publications including Time Out New York, The New York Times, and The Examiner. Their first commercial album, “CHANGING,” was released in November 2024 on the Navona Record Label and includes nine world-premiere recordings.

In addition to their regular performances in New York City and tours throughout the northeast, the ensemble has established an internationally recognized teaching institute for composers and conductors, which convenes semi-annually in New York City and has welcomed over 150 students from five continents. The institute also offers a multi-year Music Directing Fellowship Program for early-career choral conductors, provided free of charge.

Vince Peterson, the Founding Artistic Director, was the 2018 recipient of the Louis Botto Award for Innovative Action and Entrepreneurial Zeal, an honor shared with fewer than 25 choral conductors.

Performance Details

Choral Chameleon will perform at the Mahaney Arts Center’s Olin C. Robison Concert Hall on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for the general public, $20 for Middlebury faculty/staff and alumni, $10 for youth, and $5 for Middlebury College students. This concert will also be streamed ($15 regular, $5 Middlebury College students.) The ensemble will also present its free choral installation at the Mahaney Arts Center on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 7:30 p.m. For tickets or information, call 802-443-MIDD (6433) or go to middlebury.edu/arts.