Lalitha Shivaswamy, President of the Board of Governors of the Hartford Chorale, has announced the designation of Richard Coffey as Music Director Emeritus beginning July 1, 2022.
Richard Coffey led the Hartford Chorale for the last 17 years. The Chorale has been fortunate to be guided by Music Director Richard Coffey over that time and is grateful for his leadership. Maestro Coffey has had a profound and lasting influence on our organization. He introduced important artistic tools such as a paid Vocal Section Leaders and Assistant Music Director position, and revamped our audition processes, elevating and maintaining our artistic quality in the community. He partnered effectively with our primary performance partner (the Hartford Symphony Orchestra) and introduced us to a broad array of other talented organizations, both choral and orchestral, that allowed the Chorale to expand our reach in the community, across the state and beyond. Maestro Coffey worked closely with the board to revise our strategic plan and other board governance topics that we carry on with today and will serve us in the future. He worked with the board and membership to fully embrace touring, which we look forward to returning to in the non-covid future. In becoming Music Director Emeritus, Maestro Coffey’s duties include enjoying our future performances and social gatherings, as well as providing valuable counsel when needed.
The Hartford Chorale is a volunteer, not-for-profit organization that presents masterpieces of great choral art on a symphonic scale throughout southern New England and beyond, serving as the primary symphonic chorus for the Greater Hartford community.