Key Chorale has announced the lineup for its 39th season, themed "One of a Kind." This year's schedule includes a U.S. premiere by an Iranian composer based on an ancient Persian love story; a three-day "Bachtober" Fest honoring Johann Sebastian Bach; a celebration of the Argentine tango; and collaborations with The Sarasota Ballet, The Circus Arts Conservatory, Artist Series Concerts, Modern Marimba and The Venice Symphony.

“When we say 'One of a Kind,' we are highlighting what makes Key Chorale unique," says Key Chorale artistic director Joseph Caulkins. "Our creative ingenuity and collaborative spirit are the special sauce that goes into each and every program. These are programs you cannot experience anywhere else in the country.”

The season kicks off on Sept. 23, 2023, with Tango. Billboard top 10 duo Ben and Winnie will join Key Chorale to celebrate the passion and sizzle of the Argentine tango. Bandoneonist Ben Bogart, pianist Winnie Cheung and four traditional tango dancers will make the audience feel like it's on the streets of Buenos Aires.

From Oct. 13-15,  2023, Key Chorale and Church of the Redeemer will present a unique take on Oktoberfest with a three-day festival celebrating Johann Sebastian Bach. During "Bachtoberfest," guests can enjoy four concerts culminating in a biergarten experience with German food, beer from Calusa Brewing and music from Bill Milner’s Oompah Band.

On Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, Key Chorale Chamber Singers and the Booker High VPA choir will collaborate with Artist Series Concerts for a unique program. Violinist Alexander Markov will present classical favorites followed by his original composition, Caesar, for electric violin, organ, choir, percussion, rhythm section and orchestral musicians.

On Nov. 26, 2023, Wintertide will blend Spanish and Mexican carols in Conrad Susa’s Carols and Lullabies with John Rutter’s chilly choral cycle When Icicles Hang. Key Chorale and The Sarasota Ballet Studio Company entwine dance and music for this program, which celebrates the blue nights of winter and the magic of the season.

The U.S. premiere of The Legend of Bijan and Manijeh by Iranian composer Farhad Poupel takes place on Feb. 10, 2024. The work is based on an ancient Persian love story taken from Shahnameh (The Book of Kings), an epic poem by the Persian poet Ferdowsi that was written between 977 BC and 1010 CE. Other love stories, mythical and historical, will be brought to life through piano, choir, orchestra and the music of the great composers. Concert pianist Jeffrey Biegel will perform, as well.

On Feb. 20, 2024, celebrate the power of choral music through a performance by more than 200 singers of all ages, from high school students to seniors, in the Tomorrow’s Voices Today High School Choral Festival. Hear some of the best repertoire of the season from the Booker High School, Riverview High School and Sarasota High School choirs performing separately and alongside Key Chorale.

In late February, Key Chorale joins the Venice Symphony and its music director Troy Quinn for three performances of a concert of modern classics from Alan Menken, the award-winning composer of Disney’s Aladdin, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. Attendees can relive the classic scores that have shaped generations of music and movie lovers.

Cirque des Voix, a collaboration with the Circus Arts Conservatory, returns on March 22 and 23, 2024, for its 13th year. Experience a brand-new show combining dramatic, heart stopping circus acts with riveting music by Key Chorale and the Cirque Orchestra. 

On April 7, 2024, Light & Gold showcases the work of popular choral composers Eric Whitacre and Morten Lauridsen. Key Chorale chamber singers, principal keyboardist Glenn Priest and the musicians of Modern Marimba will present some of Whitacre and Lauridsen's most haunting work, full of spine-tingling harmonies. Plus, guests can hear the Florida premiere of Whitacre’s All Seems Beautiful to Me and Lauridsen’s masterpiece Lux Aeterna, which is inspired by light.

The season concludes on April 26 and 27, 2024, with a Venice Symphony collaboration for the symphony's 50th anniversary season. With Key Chorale and acclaimed vocalists Deanna Breiwick and Dashon Burton, concertgoers will hear  Hans Zimmer’s Main Title from The Crown, William Walton’s Crown Imperial, Ralph Vaughan Williams’ English Folk Song Suite and the choral masterwork Dona nobis pacem by Vaughan Williams.

Key Chorale also offers community outreach groups, including the Off-Key Chorale—a partnership with the Neuro Challenge Foundation for those living with Parkinson’s disease—and Where Are My Keys? Chorale, a collaboration with Senior Friendship Center and JFCS of the Suncoast for those dealing with memory loss. With fall and spring sessions, Key Chorale artist director Joseph Caulkins creates a unique curriculum of vocal exercises, breathing exercises, and musical selections around a theme which concludes with an end of session performance for friends and family.

Season subscriptions and single tickets are on sale now. For more information, click here or call (941) 552-8768.