Music  gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.

— Plato

Dear Friends:

Last June, we began to reimagine what would be possible in a time when live performance was put on hold. Inspired by your generous support, responses to our Spring survey, and words of encouragement, we sought novel and meaningful ways to reclaim postponed programs and celebrations while keeping all of us connected:

  • The first of Blue Heron’s newly created Spotlight Sessions will feature a taste of Many Voices, our March 2020 concert now rescheduled for the 2021-2022 season. Composer Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol introduces Turkish modes (makam) and demonstrates how he uses them in polyphonic composition.
  • Not wanting to miss celebrating Johannes Ockeghem’s 600th birthday (it might be this year!), we launched an Ockeghem Academy, a three-part series beginning in February 2021, presented by Scott Metcalfe and Prof. Sean Gallagher, advisor to our Ockeghem@600
  • A virtual Blue Heron season now allows us to invite experts from across the globe to give the expanded pre-concert talks, followed by intimate concerts enhanced with

Undeterred by the many uncertainties wrought by the global pandemic, we also convened our triennial strategic planning process. Guided by a team of Blue Heron donors, musicians, board members, staff, and leadership from the state’s arts and culture sector, we reaffirmed that our core mission and highest priority is live performance. Alongside that we are committed to seek and create opportunities to train and mentor the next generation of professional musicians in the art and craft of vocal chamber music. We believe that education, outreach, and collaboration are the best methods by which Blue Heron can address inequalities of opportunity and access.

In affirmation of our mission and faith in the future, our goals for the next three years include:

  • Streaming future live performances, making them accessible to our growing community worldwide;
  • Releasing a live recording of Machaut’s Remede de Fortune;
  • Developing joint programs with local children’s choruses;
  • Establishing a Young Artist Program;
  • And, of course, completing the Ockeghem@600 project, continuing to issue CDs, and presenting programs of wonderful and long-unheard music!

With your generous support, together we will accomplish these goals. Please support the Annual Fund as generously as you are able.


Scott Metcalfe
Artistic Director


Kathleen C. Brittan
Executive Director

Support Blue Heron

Click below to support Blue Heron with a donation by credit or debit card:

We welcome donations by check, made payable to “Blue Heron”, and mailed to:
Blue Heron
950 Watertown Street, Suite 8
West Newton, MA 02465

Contributions will be acknowledged in our concert program books at the following levels of support:

Archangel $10,000 and above
Angel $5,000 – $9,999
Benefactor $2,500 – $4,999
Guarantor $1,250 – $2,499
Patron $600 – $1,249
Sponsor $300 – $599
Supporter $125 – $299
Friend $50 – $124

Stocks and IRA distributions
Blue Heron does accept gifts of stock. Contact us for information on how to make a stock transfer. Did you know that distributions from IRAs made directly to Blue Heron may also receive favorable tax treatment? Ask your financial advisor.

Matching gifts
Did you know the value of your gift can be doubled? Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match charitable contributions made by their employees. If your employer sponsors a matching program, please leverage your support: request a matching gift form from your employer, and send the completed and signed form in to Blue Heron with your donation. We will do the rest.

Underwriting a concert
Would you like to dedicate a concert to the memory of a special person in your life? Or, in honor of someone? You can do so by underwriting a major portion of the costs of a single concert on our Cambridge series. Learn more about this opportunity.

Questions?
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Blue Heron Renaissance Choir, Inc. is a a tax-exempt non-profit organization under IRS code section 501(c)(3). Tax ID: 04-3522239.

Photo by Liz Linder