The Staunton Choral Society was founded by Dr. Jim Higgs in 1962 as the first community chorus in the area. It is a traditional concert featuring a mix of classical, popular and jazz music. In 1980, Janet Lamer began annual Christmas and spring concerts. Ms. Lamer received a B.A. in music from Northwestern University.
She has sung with the Chicago Symphony, the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia and Princeton Symphony Orchestras.
Strongly community-oriented, the Chorus spotlights local high school bands, professional musicians from the combined armed forces, Walt & Elizabeth Taylor and Chuck Goodson, and opera singer Charlotte Vacano, who has had a colorful career in European opera houses. Ernie Holley, a popular and talented Stauntonian soloist brings a following of enthusiastic audience. He represented us nationally when he sang the national anthem for a Redskins/Cardinals football game at the Jack Kent Cook Stadium in Landover, Maryland. Local colleges are also represented in our concerts as their music students lend their talents to our music presentations, coordinated by Bob Sanger, retired band director, who still plays various instruments along with the students.