We are a professional ensemble dedicated to increasing the awareness, appreciation, and esteem of choral music and musicians through performance, outreach, and education.

about us

The Houston Chamber Choir is a Grammy®-winning professional ensemble whose mission is to share choral music performed at the highest level. We are proud to be a part of Houston's vibrant arts scene and look forward to collaborations with some of the city's finest groups on our 30th anniversary season featuring everything from an exciting world premiere to traditional crowd favorites.

Led by Founder and Artistic Director Robert Simpson and Betsy Cook Weber, Artistic Director Designate, the Houston Chamber Choir has been described by The Tallis Scholars founder Peter Phillips as "one of this country's leading ensembles." The Choir is comprised of 24 professional singers, most of whom have studied at the top music schools and conservatories in the United States. These musicians are selected through rigorous auditions from the finest singers in our region and are compensated for all rehearsals and performances. 

The Houston Chamber Choir's travels have taken it on tour in this country and abroad. Its first national exposure came in 1999, four years after its founding, when it was invited to perform at the national convention of the American Choral Directors Association in Chicago's famed Orchestra Hall. The Chamber Choir has received similar invitations from Chorus America, The American Guild of Organists, The Association of Anglican Musicians, the Association of Lutheran Musicians, the Texas Choral Directors Association, and the Organization of American Kodály Educators. They will tour Latvia, Estonia, and Sweden in the Summer of 2025 in celebration of their 30th anniversary. 

The Houston Chamber Choir is proud to offer a wide breadth of recorded albums. Highlights include Ravishingly Russian, a collection of 19th and 20th century Russian secular choral music, Psalmi ad Vesperas, the world premiere recording of this great work by 17th century Italian composer Giovanni Paolo Colonna, and the Grammy® winning, Duruflé, Complete Choral Works.

Winner of Best Choral Performance at the 62nd Annual Grammy® Awards, winner of Chorus America's 2018 Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence, the Houston Chamber Choir has established itself as one of the premier professional choirs in the United States, serving Houston through concerts and educational initiatives that enlighten, entertain, and educate people of all ages.

  • “...One of the jewels of the city’s cultural scene, the Houston Chamber Choir has brought Houston an array of choral works for years..."

    Houston Chronicle

  • "The Houston Chamber Choir is one of our city’s most outstanding professional ensembles."

    Sarah Rothenberg

    Artistic/General Director, Da Camera

  • “Houston Chamber Choir is an ensemble of consummate artistry and it was a joy for me to have the opportunity to make music with them.”

    Joseph Flummerfelt

    Musical America’s 2004 Conductor of the Year

  • “The singing is top-of-the-line”

    American Record Guide

    Of the album Ravishingly Russian

  • "...this sumptuous new release captures its unique qualities better than any - with wonderfully radiant and flexible singing from the Houston Chamber Choir..."

    Scott Carrington

    On Durufle: The Complete Choral Works

Through the years

  • Houston Chamber Choir kicks off its 30th anniversary season, From Startup to Standout, celebrating the first 30 years of the organization's history.

  • After his 30 year tenure founding and stewarding the growth of the Houston Chamber Choir, founder & artistic director Robert Simpson announces his retirement at the conclusion of the 30th anniversary season.

    Dr. Betsy Cook Weber is tapped as artistic director designate to assume leadership of the choir beginning with the 2025-2026 season.

  • “Duruflé: Complete Choral Works” won Best Choral Performance at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.

    Houston Chamber Choir welcomes renowned British composer Bob Chilcott for the world premiere of his newly revised Circlesong.

    Houston Chamber Choir records their sixth album, joined by the Treble Choir of Houston and to be produced by Signum Classics.

    With One Accord podcast season 1 launches with Music Mondays with Robert Simpson, Behind the Music with St. John Flynn, and Education Spotlight with April Harris.

    Houston Chamber Choir Digital Stage launches.

  • Houston Chamber Choir releases new album, “Duruflé: Complete Choral Works”, produced by Grammy® Award-winning producer Blanton Alspaugh.

    The Chamber Choir is selected as one of 24 choirs to perform during the 12th World Symposium on Choral Music in Auckland, New Zealand, in July of 2020.

    Houston Chamber Choir welcomes Dr. James Whitbourn and performs his work Annelies in collaboration with the Holocaust Museum Houston.

    Houston Chamber Choir performs the world premiere of Pierre Jalbert’s Desert Places, along with other Houston-based composers’ works.

  • Guest conductor Alexander Blachly leads the Chamber Choir in a special concert exploring gamesmanship, eloquence, and surprise in the Renaissance.

    Houston Chamber Choir is honored with Chorus America's 2018 Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence.

    Jamie Bernstein, daughter of Leonard Bernstein, hosts an evening of personal reminiscences and music by her father in celebration of his centennial year.

    Signum Classics recording label signs Houston Chamber Choir.

  • A performance of Bach's Mass in B minor with period instruments.

    The Chamber Choir performs Mexicantos II, a reiteration of the popular Mexicantos concert, highlighting the choral music of Mexico featuring mezzo-soprano Cecilia Duarte.

    Houston Chamber Choir members perform in Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience.

    Houston Chamber Choir members perform in Hans Zimmer Live on Tour.

    The Chamber Choir records their fifth album comprised of the complete choral works of Maurice Duruflé with organist Ken Cowan.

    The Chamber Choir presents an evening of Brahms and Barber, featuring guest pianist and Shepherd School of Music professor Brian Connelly.

  • The Chamber Choir presents Mexicantos, a concert that celebrates the choral music of Mexico.

    Guest conductor Elena Sharkova leads the Chamber Choir in an evening of Russian choral music.

    Houston Chamber Choir premieres a new work and performs with Grammy Award-winning jazz musician, Christian McBride and The Christian McBride Trio.

  • Houston Chamber Choir celebrates its 20th anniversary season

    Chamber Choir presents music of choral masters with guest conductor, Anton Armstrong.

    Releases new album "Soft Blink of Amber Light" (MSR Classics), featuring contemporary choral music.

    Releases an album collaboration with Da Camera of Houston, "Rothko Chapel - Morton Feldman / Erik Satie / John Cage" (ECM Records), featuring Kim Kashkashian, Houston Chamber Choir and Robert Simpson, Sarah Rothenberg & Steven Schick.

  • The Chamber Choir performs music of Gabrielis, Hassler, Schütz, and others with Canadian sackbut and string ensemble, ¡Sacabuche!

    María Guinand, world-renowned Venezuelan conductor, leads the Houston Chamber Choir in a program of Latin-American music.

  • Accepts second invitation to perform at the national convention of the American Choral Directors Association in Dallas.

    Simon Carrington, founding member of The King’s Singers and Yale University professor emeritus, guest conducts the Houston Chamber Choir in an all British program.

  • Tours Northeast with stops at Yale University and New York City’s Trinity Wall Street.

    Jamie Bernstein, daughter of Leonard Bernstein, hosts an evening of personal reminiscences and music by her father.

    Releases world-premiere recording of "Psalmi ad Vesperas" on MSR Classics Label with acclaim.

    Rise Up Singing!, Houston Chamber Choir's educational initiative, launches.

  • Drama Desk nominee Judith Blazer appears with the Chamber Choir in a Broadway-inspired evening at Alley Theatre.

    Gives first modern day performance of Giovanni Paolo Colonna’s Psalmi ad Vesperas.

  • Hosts Chorus America’s national conducting Masterclass with Yale University professor Marguerite Brooks and renowned Swedish conductor Robert Sund.

    Accepts invitation to perform in Dallas at the national convention of the Organization of American Kodály Educators.

    Peter Schickele joins the Chamber Choir for “Bach in the Saddle, An Evening of P.D.Q. Bach”

    Robert Simpson receives Chorus America’s Michael Korn Founders Award for Development of the Professional Choral Art.

  • Stages Duke Ellington’s Third Sacred Concert, his last major work.

    Releases "Ravishingly Russian" CD on MSR Classics Label to strong reviews.

  • National Endowment for the Arts selects Chamber Choir to host a national festival of American music with 2004 Musical America Conductor of the Year Joseph Flummerfelt and gospel music specialist Barbara Wesley Baker.

    Noted Dutch conductor Reinbert De Leeuw directs the Houston Chamber Choir in a performance of Stravinsky’s Les Noces in its first collaboration with Da Camera of Houston.

    Gives Southwestern premiere of Vivaldi’s recently discovered masterpiece Dixit Dominus with Bill McGlaughlin, host of Public Radio’s “Exploring Music” and “St. Paul Sunday.”

    Appears as featured choir at the Texas Choral Directors Association in San Antonio.

  • Presents Houston’s first period instrument performance of J.S. Bach’s Mass in B minor.

  • Joins Jazz legend Dave Brubeck and his quartet for his first Houston appearance in over 20 years.

  • Hosts Tallis at 500, marking the 500th birthday of English Renaissance composer Thomas Tallis, led by Peter Phillips, founder of The Tallis Scholars, and American scholar and conductor Alex Blachly.

    Tours Southern states, performing in Atlanta and at Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Charleston, South Carolina.

  • The Choir is awarded a medal at the International Choral Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales

  • The Chamber Choir is invited to perform at the American Choral Directors Association national convention in Chicago

    Hear the Future, Houston Chamber Choir's Annual Invitational Choral Festival, launches

  • Robert Simpson founds the Houston Chamber Choir

    First performance in June 25, 1995