ABOUT

THE ORANGE COMMUNITY MASTER CHORALE

The Orange Community Master Chorale was founded in 1994 and is a non-profit community based choir located in the city of Orange, in Orange County, California, U.S.A. The OC Master Chorale has a reputation for being one of the finest community choral organizations in Southern California. It is open to any person in Southern California who wishes to sing.

From its founding, The Orange Community Master Chorale has been participating in and creating events that help the City of Orange to be more culturally diverse and musically aware. Two events created by the chorus are the Tree Lighting and Candlelight Procession for the City of Orange ( since1995) and “Third of July Program” a patriotic program for the 3rd of July (Since 1996)!

Each of these events has a draw of several thousand people. The chorus has also been selected to be a featured choir for special performances annually such as the "Candlelight Procession" at Disneyland, in Anaheim, California. And they have been featured entertainment for the Disney Community Service Awards.

We also present Fall and Spring concerts featuring works such as Carmina Burana by Orff, Five Tudor Portraits by Ralph Vaughn Williams, and Lux Aeterna by Morten Lauridsen. In May of 2009 the Orange Community Master Chorale performed the Lux Aeterna in Carnegie Hall under the direction of our director Michael Short. Our most recent performance was the Verdi Requiem” with Symphony Irvine and the Master Chorale of Saddleback Valley.

The Orange Community Master Chorale is a choir of 80 – 90 singers who’s talents are in demand on a year round schedule. The Master Chorale has completed two European concert tours, two tours of the British Islands and a Greek concert tour in April of 2011. We had an amazing concert tour of Ireland where we joined with the Master Chorale of Saddleback Valley for an exciting adventure in the summer of 2015. Check the Pictures.

MICHAEL SHORT

With a bachelor’s degree from Chapman University in Orange, California and a master’s degree in choral conducting from California State University, Fullerton, Michael Short is the founder and musical director of the Orange Community Master Chorale. In addition to secular responsibilities as vocal music director at Orange High School, Mr. Short has directed music at First United Methodist Church of Orange since 1988.

He has an extensive and active participation as an adjudicator in choral festivals and honor choir performances as well as with the American Choral Directors Association on a regional and national level.

Producing and directing, in cooperation with the City of Orange, the annual 3rd of July patriotic program (with fireworks) and the Treelighting and Candlelight Procession in the downtown plaza for the last thirty years are among the highlights on his resume.

Mr. Short has directed several concerts at Carnegie Hall in New York City with both high school and adult participants and he regularly organizes concert tours for both age groups in the United States and abroad. (Another trip is planned to Scotland, Wales and England for the Orange Community Master Chorale in July of 2019.)

Mr. Short’s choral groups—school and church—have appeared in two feature films, Ed Wood and Sister Act 2 and performed musical voice-over for a movie about Stan Lee. Among his many awards and recognitions are the prestigious Bravo Award from the Los Angeles Music Center, Outstanding Teacher from the Orange Unified School District, a Teacher of the Year finalist, Outstanding Alumnus from Chapman University and he was selected Citizen of the Year by the City of Orange.

The latest project to be the recipient of Mr. Short’s boundless enthusiasm and leadership is the creation of a venue to feature the creative artists of the community called Greater Orange Community Arts Theater (GOCAT) which is now in planning stages. (Stay tuned.)