activities · 12
what they do
direct service · 10
- Commission and Premiere New Musical Works Commissioning New Musical WorksCommissions and premieres new works from leading American composers, including Stephen Paulus, Jake Runestad, and winners of its annual Stephen Paulus Composers Competition, often resulting in world premiere recordings and multimedia symphonies.
- Commissioning and premiering new American choral works Commissioning New Musical WorksCommissions and premieres new choral and orchestral works by leading and emerging American composers, including Stephen Paulus, Jake Runestad, Hans Bridger Heruth, and Gregory Spears; several of which have received GRAMMY recognition.
- Offering accessible concert admission and seating options Arts Ticket Access ProgramsProvides discounted $5 admission for full-time students and offers reserved seating for mainstage concerts to enhance audience access and experience.
- Perform Choral and Orchestral Concerts Choral and Orchestral Concert PerformancesPerforms major choral and orchestral works, including classical pieces, American folk songs, spirituals, and arrangements from The Great American Songbook, often featuring guest soloists and its Choir, Orchestra, and Chamber Players in the Tucson area and occasionally at national venues like Lincoln Center.
- Performance of major choral and orchestral worksConducts performances of major choral-orchestral repertoire, including works by Copland, Bernstein, Lauridsen, and Sacred Harp traditions, as well as folk songs from diverse cultural traditions, with its Choir, Orchestra, Chamber Players, and guest artists.
- Presenting annual and themed concert series Thematic Orchestral Concert SeriesPresents recurring concert programs such as "Lessons and Carols by Candlelight" focusing on American Christmas music, and develops multi-year thematic concert series like "The American Dream" to mark national milestones.
- Presenting guest artist collaborations and special performances Thematic Orchestral Concert SeriesHosts guest artists such as GRAMMY-nominated baritone Will Liverman and Metropolitan Opera soloists in special concert programs, including appearances at festivals like the Tucson Desert Song Festival.
- Presenting historical and culturally themed music programs Thematic Orchestral Concert SeriesStages performances centered on historical themes, such as music from 1776 and the 9/11 anniversary, often incorporating multimedia elements and video projections, including the nationwide coordination of The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci symphony.
- Produce and Release Musical Recordings Choral and Orchestral Concert PerformancesReleases recordings of its performances, including world premiere recordings and albums featuring American composers, which have received GRAMMY nominations for Best Choral Performance.
- Recording and release of choral music Music Recording & Archival ProductionProduces and releases professional recordings of choral music, including world premiere recordings, resulting in GRAMMY nominations for Best Choral Performance in 2015 and 2025.
capacity building · 2
- Operating composer and performer development programs Youth Choral Education & Performance ProgramsSupports emerging talent through the Stephen Paulus Emerging Composers Competition, the Compose Like a Girl program, and high school masterclasses to train young performers and composers.
- Support Young Composers and Performers Youth Choral Education & Performance ProgramsSupports emerging talent through programs such as the Stephen Paulus Emerging Composers Competition, a high school masterclass program, and the Compose Like a Girl program.
strategies · 12
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Adapting to changing circumstances through media partnerships adaptive programmingTrue Concord films concerts in collaboration with Arizona PBS as a strategy to adapt to changing circumstances, ensuring continued accessibility and reach for its performances.
- Adaptive Digital Engagement adaptive programmingResponds to shifting conditions by filming concerts in partnership with Arizona PBS, ensuring continued access to performances and broadening reach through broadcast and digital platforms.
- Artistically Driven National Collaboration artistic programmingAssembles voices and instrumentalists from across the United States to enable innovative programming and deliver intimate, acoustically refined performances that elevate artistic impact.
- Creating immersive multimedia compositions multimedia_compositionThe organization develops large-scale multimedia compositions that integrate electro-acoustic elements, dance, and opera to enhance audience and performer engagement by offering a multi-sensory artistic experience.
- Cultural Narrative Through Music cultural celebration through musicUses music to chronicle and explore the American experience—its origins, ideals, and aspirations—thereby fostering cultural connection and collective reflection through performance.
- Delivering innovative programming through national talent artistic programmingThe organization utilizes voices and instrumentalists from across the country to deliver innovative programming and intimate, acoustically excellent performances, ensuring high artistic quality and diverse interpretations.
- Expanding musical repertoire through new commissions repertoire_innovationTrue Concord combines the performance of established choral works with the commissioning of new works from leading American composers to enrich the musical landscape and offer fresh artistic experiences.
- Exploring American identity through song cultural celebration through musicTrue Concord chronicles the American journey through song, using music as a medium to explore the origins, ideals, and future dreams of the country, thereby celebrating and reflecting on cultural identity.
- Fostering human connection through narrative-driven music narrative-driven_compositionTrue Concord composes concert music grounded in narrative and speculative fiction to create emotional resonance and foster deeper human connection among its audience members.
- Immersive Multimedia Storytelling multimedia_compositionCreates large-scale concert experiences that integrate electro-acoustic music, dance, opera, and narrative or speculative fiction to deepen emotional resonance and expand engagement for both audiences and performers.
- Innovative Repertoire Development repertoire_innovationCombines traditional choral works with newly commissioned pieces from leading American composers to renew the classical canon and reflect contemporary voices, creating a dynamic bridge between heritage and innovation.
- Preserving and reinterpreting traditional carols cultural_preservationThe organization focuses on sacred Christmas carols in its seasonal offerings to evoke emotionally powerful memories and enrich holiday celebrations, often presenting familiar carols in new or not widely known musical settings by American composers.
named programs · 5
what they call their work
2025-26 Season: The American Dream
Concert series exploring American music and identity through works by Copland, Bernstein, and contemporary composers, performed across Tucson and Green Valley
Close-Up Vocal Recital Series
Intimate recitals featuring nationally recognized vocalists and True Concord ensemble members performing diverse repertoire
Compose Like a Girl
Program led by Composer-in-Residence Jocelyn Hagen in partnership with Tucson Girls Chorus and Literacy Connects, connecting young authors and composers
Lessons and Carols by Candlelight
Annual holiday concert featuring American choral works and carols, accompanied by recordings and community performances
Stephen Paulus Emerging Composers Competition
National competition that commissions and premieres new works by emerging composers in honor of Stephen Paulus
relationships · 50
who they work with
- Andrew Watson Funder — Season Sponsor
- Arizona PBS Partner — Collaborates to film concerts, adapting to new formats during the pandemic.
- Brian Turner Partner — Provided texts for Runestad's work "Dreams of the Fallen".
- Carol des Cognets Funder — Associate Season Sponsor
- Catalina Foothills H.S. Music Hall Partner — Uses Catalina Foothills H.S. Music Hall as a venue for performances.
- Catalina Foothills High School Partner — Venue for True Concord events
- Catalina United Methodist Church Partner — Uses Catalina United Methodist Church as a venue for performances.
- Catalina United Methodist Church Partner — Venue for True Concord events
- Christ the King Episcopal Church Partner — Venue for True Concord events
- Community Foundation for Southern Arizona Partner — Venue for True Concord events
- Community Performance & Art Center Partner — Venue for True Concord events
- Connie Hillman Family Foundation Funder — Sponsor
- Dale Warland Partner — Received assistance from Dale Warland as an advisor for their Christmas album.
- Dove of Peace Lutheran Church Partner — Venue for True Concord events
- Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Partner — Uses Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church as a venue for performances.
- Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Partner — Venue for True Concord events
- Hacienda Del Sol – Historic Inner Courtyard Partner — Venue for True Concord events
- Holsclaw Hall, University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music Partner — Venue for True Concord events
- InConcert Consulting Partner — Consultant organization providing services to True Concord Voices and Orchestra
- Jake Runestad Partner — Commissioned and premiered his choral/orchestral work, Earth Symphony, and featured his works in a GRAMMY-nominated recording.
- Jeffrey Biegel Partner — Featured as a solo pianist in Runestad's work "Dreams of the Fallen".
- Jocelyn Hagen Partner — Co-Composer-in-Residence collaborating with True Concord Voices and Orchestra on new musical works.
- John E. Wahl Funder — Fall Season Sponsor
- Literacy Connects Partner — Partner in the Compose Like a Girl program, bringing together authors and composers.
- Loews Ventana Canyon Resort Partner — Venue for True Concord events
- Lutheran Church of the Risen Savior Partner — Venue for True Concord events
- Marlys A. Beider Funder — Spring Season Sponsor
- Mary Lou Forier Funder — Fall Season Sponsor
- Minnesota Public Radio Partner — Brian Newhouse, Managing Director of Classical Programming at Minnesota Public Radio, provided a positive review for their Christmas choral album.
- Mountain Oyster Club Partner — Venue for True Concord events
+ 20 more