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"The Birds Take Flight!"

Nightingale began as the brainchild of five intrepid musicians: Kelvyn Koning, Fran Daniel Laucerica, Jennifer Muñoz, Laura Nevitt, and Benjamin Perry. We met as Master’s students in the Conductor’s Choir at The Boston Conservatory at Berklee and found that we shared similar passions for taking choral music in a new direction. We held a meeting on Monday, December 11, 2018 at 3:15pm at Woody’s Grill and Tap to discuss the formation of a vocal ensemble that would perform a variety of music, particularly our own compositions. We explored how we wanted to be different from other vocal and choral groups, as well as what we could contribute to the musical world with our voices. Unique programming, original compositions, and tight harmonies were the name of our game. In May 2019 we performed our premiere concert, An Exploration of the Senses, which included music, poetry, and sensory elements such as grapes and essential oils. 

By our next concert in December 2019, Sacred: A Life’s Journey, we grew to an octet, adding Peter Fletcher, John Haukoos, and Alissa Voth to the nest. We branched out into collaborations, first recording established composer Andrew Maxfield’s vocal compositions for SALT Contemporary Dance, then joining the Cøda Ensemble for their concert, The Invisible and Eternal, culminating with the performance of Arvo Pärt’s Stabat Mater. In January 2020, while Fran and Jennifer moved on to other pursuits, we expanded further to thirteen members, adding Mason Bynes, Katheryn Currie, Nicholas Ford, Josephine Kraemer, Jeannette Lee, Daniel Esteban Lugo, and John Moorman. By March 2020 we were well into rehearsing music for two spring concerts, one on the concept of Space and the other comprised of music by Andrew Maxfield. Our work on these concerts was halted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Although these concerts were cancelled, we continued meeting virtually to remain connected as an ensemble. 

During the summer of 2020 we began laying the foundation for our organization and planning our 2020-2021 concert season for the virtual world. Going forward, we are excited to see how we will continue to evolve as we explore virtual performances, become a professional ensemble, and push the boundaries of the concert experience.

~Written August 2020 by Founding members,
Kelvyn Koning, Laura Nevitt, and Benjamin Perry

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Directors' Note - November 2021
Benjamin Perry and Laura Nevitt

We are excited to be premiering four concert cycles this year, presented as in-person events with recorded editions for audience members outside of Boston. This season's innovative programs seek to inspire reflection on what it means to be human. Whispers: what haunts you? explores the demons in our psyche, and how "one need not be a chamber to be haunted." Mythology of the Planets celebrates our connection to the cosmos through the lens of myth, science, and stunning visual art. Dreams dives deep into colorful, creative realms of the unconscious during sleep, and Oceans, coinciding with Earth Day, honors the vastness of Earth's great oceans and our interdependence with them. Rounding off the season, donors are invited to a special fundraising Nightin'Gale-A' (because we love puns), where you can support Nightingale artists for the following season. One of our biggest aspirations for the 2022-2023 season is to compensate our vocal artists in the same way we are paying our collaborators now.
Your help makes our dream possible - Join us this season as we take flight!

- Co-Artistic Directors Ben Perry & Laura Nevitt