NYC Arts: The Complete Guide to Art and Culture

Musica Sacra, the longest continuously performing professional chorus in New York City, was founded by Richard Westenburg at Central Presbyterian Church in 1964; it was the first all-professional, paid admission choral series ever undertaken by a church. 

By the early 1970s, the popularity of its concerts caused it to become independent and move to larger venues, including Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  The repertoire represents the masterpieces of choral music – the motets, cantatas, passions, and B Minor Mass of Bach, the masses of Mozart and Haydn, the Requiems of Mozart, Brahms, and Fauré, Bloch’s Sacred Service, Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Strauss’s Deutsche Motette, Bruckner’s motets, and Schönberg’s Friede auf Erden – all part of the rich tradition of presenting the finest choral music by the foremost musicians of our time. 

An essential part of Musica Sacra's mission is to provide a forum for contemporary composers through important premieres. It supports its mission by presenting concerts; recording, commissioning and performing new choral works; and educating audiences, students and the general public in the appreciation and history of choral music.

• Disability Access: Carnegie Hall and other performance venues are fully accessible.

Get involved with Musica Sacra

• Donations through Musica Sacra's Web site
• Subscriptions