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The Historical Origins of Choirs
How far back in history can we trace choral singing?
Last night, the choir of our little church in Montgomery County, Maryland performed our annual Christmas cantata. As I sat listening to the Olney Baptist Church choir celebrate Christmas, my mind drifted back several decades to my childhood when I first sang in a choir.
From third grade through 12th grade, I attended a private Christian school in Fairfax County. During my middle school years (then called junior high), music class was mandatory, which meant singing in the choir. We learned to read music, sing in parts, and create a group sound that our parents and other grown-ups hopefully enjoyed.
At its core, a choir is more than just voices performing together; it’s a collective expression, where each section — soprano, alto, tenor, and bass — adds depth and harmony.
Choral music appears across cultures and eras, from ancient religious rituals to modern performances. In Western traditions, choirs have roots in early Christian worship but have since expanded to include more genres.
Historically, the oldest surviving notated choral music comes from the Delphic hymns of the 2nd century BC in ancient Greece. But literary references to choral singing stretch much further back.
