History

Chorus History

The Santa Rosa Symphonic Chorus has enjoyed a long and celebrated history in the musical life of Sonoma County. Founded by Chester Beck in the fall of 1934, the chorus, originally named the Santa Rosa Chorus, began as an evening class at Santa Rosa High School.

The first concert given by the chorus was a performance of Handel’s Messiah under Mr. Beck’s direction, jointly presented with the San Francisco Municipal Chorus at Santa Rosa High School on January 6, 1935. In 1944, the Chorus became a class in the community education program of Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC). As the membership now comprised members from all parts of Sonoma County, the chorus became known as the Sonoma County Chorus.

When Mr. Beck died in 1966, the chorus’s leadership was taken over by his long-time friend, assistant director and tenor soloist, Harry Meyn (1966-1968). Mr. Meyn was followed by a succession of directors until, in 1979, Dr. Curtis Sprenger asked Dan Earl, music teacher at Santa Rosa High School, to become the seventh music director of the chorus.

For the next seven years the chorus, under Earl’s direction, continued to develop artistically in stature. After leaving the chorus at the end of 1986, Earl was followed by four more directors, each putting his own stamp on the success of the chorus. During Lloyd Elliot’s tenure, the chorus changed its name to the Santa Rosa Symphonic Chorus. In the fall of 2000, Dan Earl came back to the chorus as its director. In June, 2014, Dan Earl retired from the chorus and handed the baton to Robert Hazelrigg, its former accompanist. In 2014, Robert “Bob” H. became the music director for the Santa Rosa Symphonic Chorus, until his family moved out of the area in 2021, and Marisa Troppy became Artistic Director. During this time, the SRJC discontinued the community education program, but in 2023, Dr. Jody Benecke invited the Chorus to once again be part of the regular JC class curriculum. We were extremely fortunate to have Dr. Benecke as our Artistic Director until her retirement in 2024, followed by Darita Seth who has brought new energy to the role of Artistic Director.

The chorus has performed such masterworks as Brahms’ German Requiem, Verdi’s Requiem, Mozart’s Requiem, Carmina Burana, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah, as well as a series of exciting and beautiful music of other composers.

The Chorus has collaborated with Santa Rosa Symphony with performances of Verdi’s Requiem, Ralph Vaughn Williams’ “Dona Nobis Pacem” and Brahm’s German Requiem with Sonoma County Bach Choir under Bob Worth’s direction. We have also performed Beethoven’s 9th with SR Symphony.

The chorus also performed with American Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Gabriel Sakakeeny. Later this became the Sonoma County Philharmonic, Nick Xenelis, conductor. We also performed “Carmina Burana” with Nick in 2015.

We have also performed Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, with the Santa Rosa Symphony under the direction of Bruno Ferrandis, conductor; and Brahms’ “German Requiem” with the Sonoma County Bach Choir (Bob Worth, director) along with the Santa Rosa Symphony.”

We are proud to have been the primary on-stage chorus for the “Redwood Singalong Messiah” for 40 years, initially a fundraiser for Hospital Chaplaincy, after which the Santa Rosa Symphony League’s youth programs became the beneficiary of the Singalong Messiah. After the 2020 pandemic and Dan Earl’s retirement as music director of the Singalong Messiah, this wonderful program has been on hiatus. Santa Rosa Chamber Orchestra under Nick Xenelis provided accompaniment.

The Chorus has been honored to have been invited to perform nationally and internationally as part of larger choral groups performing in Avery Fisher Hall (NYC), Carnegie Hall (2005 & 2008), Sydney Opera House, and in Rome June 2001 as part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Verdi’s death, performing Verdi’s Requiem with the Rome Symphony Orchestra with nearly 800 voice choir.

Our last international trip in June 2014 was part of a memorial celebration of D-Day in Normandy. We had hoped to travel to Austria for the Beethoven 250th Choral Festival but due to pandemic concerns we had to cancel these plans. Perhaps in the future, we may be fortunate to join others in some exciting choral festival. For now, we look forward to more amazing musical adventures under the guidance of our newest Artistic Director, “Lok Kru” Darita Seth.

Artistic Directors

  • Chester Beck 1934-1966
  • Harry Meyn 1966-1968
  • Algin Hurst 1968-1969
  • Louis Lewis 1969-1972
  • Dr Curtis Sprenger 1972-1977
  • Victoria Kincaid 1977-1979 
  • Dan Earl 1979-1986
  • Don Andrews 1986-1987
  • John Hiestand 1987-1988
  • Barry Hunt 1988-1992
  • Lloyd Elliot 1992-2000
  • Dan Earl 2000-2014
  • Robert Hazelrigg 2014-2021
  • Marisa Troppy 2021-2022
  • Jody Benecke 2023-2024
  • Darita Seth 2024-present