The Lexington Singers, Inc. is a non-profit corporation formed to provide opportunities for the citizens of Lexington and the surrounding communities to participate in the performance and enjoyment of quality choral music, and to further understanding among all peoples through the medium of music.

The Lexington Singers is one of the oldest continuously performing independent community choral groups in America. Based in Lexington, Kentucky, The Lexington Singers currently is comprised of approximately 300 voices in five choirs. Since its founding in 1959, the group has entertained hundreds of audiences throughout Kentucky, the United States, and the world. Recent performances have included, among other works, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, Mozart’s Requiem, Brahms’ German Requiem, Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms, Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky, and Verdi’s Requiem.

There are multiple performances in the concert season, which may also include concerts with the Lexington Philharmonic, an annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, and a very popular spring Pops concert. Tour concerts have included performances at St. Peter’s basilica at the Vatican, St. Mark’s basilica in Venice, Vienna’s Hofburg Palace, the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, and Carnegie Hall in New York City. For more information, visit www.lexsing.org.​

• Performing Arts

The Lexington Singers has been performing quality choral music in Central Kentucky and around the world since 1959, making it one of the longest continuously performing independent community choirs in America. The organization provides opportunities for children, youth, and adults to participate in and enjoy good choral music and to further understanding among all peoples through music. Today, The Lexington Singers includes more than 300 voices across five choirs, including the 180+ member Adult Choir and four Lexington Singers Children's Choirs, as well as an Orff Ensemble and handbell ensemble.

Year-round programming is planned by the Artistic Directors, who select repertoire that reflects the organization's artistic capacity and resources while spanning the range of styles, genres, and levels of difficulty expected by singers and desired by the community. Dr. Jeff Johnson also works to include Kentucky-based content in each season. Performances take place primarily at the Singletary Center for the Arts, Calvary Baptist Church, Christ the King Cathedral, First United Methodist Church, and the Lexington Opera House, with additional community performances in civic, healthcare, senior-living, and public spaces.

The Adult Choir gives community singers the opportunity to prepare and perform major choral works with highly skilled conductors, musicians, composers, and partner organizations. Recent collaborations have included the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra and University of Kentucky choirs and chamber orchestra. The Singers were also selected by renowned American composer Elaine Hagenberg and Artistic Director Dr. Jeff Johnson to perform the United States premiere of her newest composition, Aeterna Via. At that performance, Ms. Hagenberg was presented with a key to the city by Lexington's mayor. Dr. Johnson and The Lexington Singers will also serve as conductor and lead choir for the work's European premiere in Paris.

Arts education is a central part of the organization's programming. The Lexington Singers Children's Choir serves more than 150 singers from nearly 30 area schools, kindergarten through high school, through four treble choirs designed for different ages and skill levels. Led by artist-teachers, University of Kentucky music education students, Lexington Singers members, and supportive families, LSCC emphasizes sight-reading, theory, vocal technique, and ensemble skills that build confidence and long-term musical achievement. The Advanced and Chamber Choirs perform with The Lexington Singers and University of Kentucky ensembles and have collaborated with UK Opera Theatre and the Lexington Philharmonic. The LSCC Chamber Choir was selected by audition to perform at the 2025 Kentucky Music Educators Association Conference in Louisville. LSCC also offers a free summer camp serving 50 children, with no participant fees, featuring choral rehearsal, music theory and literacy, games, and hands-on activities.

The Lexington Singers also extends its work beyond traditional concert settings. Recent examples include an ensemble performance in the University of Kentucky hospital courtyard in collaboration with the College of Medicine's Department of Integrative Medicine, performances at senior living communities and civic events, and three evenings of holiday performances at Gatton Park. Several free performances are offered each year to reduce financial barriers and broaden access to high-quality choral music.

Program implementation is supported by the Board, artistic leadership, part-time and contract staff, and approximately 65 volunteers who assist with committees, ushering, marketing, sponsorship sales, musicianship, section leadership, grant writing, and web support. Success is measured through membership growth and retention, ticket sales, venue attendance, audience and member surveys, social media metrics, public relations coverage, program participation, and charitable giving. These measures help the Board assess artistic and community impact, identify gaps, and make improvements in future programming.

The Adult Choir also serves as a musical ambassador for Central Kentucky. International performances have included St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, Vienna's Hofburg Palace, Notre Dame in Paris, tours through Central and South America, and a 2019 tour to South Africa. Domestic appearances have included Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. These experiences complement the organization's local mission by bringing artistic growth and visibility back to the singers and communities it serves.

The Lexington Singers is committed to belonging and equitable access to high-quality arts experiences. We will annually review membership, board, and audience data to identify gaps and guide outreach to schools, community organizations, senior communities, and groups serving economically disadvantaged and underrepresented populations. Board, staff, and volunteers will participate in training and conversations on inclusive practices, disability access, and barriers to participation. Programming will include artists and works representing varied cultural backgrounds and perspectives. Free and low-cost performances, LSCC scholarships, the Jay Flippin Scholarship, and LSCC’s free summer music camp reduce financial barriers. Accessible venues are selected whenever possible, while performances in healthcare settings, senior communities, charitable events, and civic spaces take choral music beyond concert halls. Participation data will measure progress and guide future efforts.

The Lexington Singers primarily serves Fayette County and Central Kentucky, drawing singers and audiences from Jessamine, Scott, Clark, Madison, Woodford, Bourbon, and Franklin counties. Lexington has approximately 330,000 residents and is increasingly diverse: about 70% White, 14% Black or African American, with growing Asian and Hispanic/Latino populations. Approximately 15-16% of Fayette County residents live below the federal poverty level, and surrounding rural counties often have lower incomes and fewer arts resources. Our target audience therefore includes children and youth, working-age adults, older adults, people with disabilities, and residents facing economic or geographic barriers. Free performances, scholarships, accessible venues, youth programming, and regional outreach help us broaden participation while serving our established audience.

Central Kentucky has a vibrant arts ecosystem, but access is uneven. Lexington is home to established cultural institutions, public art, colleges and universities, galleries, and music organizations, yet transportation costs, geographic distance, and economic barriers can limit participation, particularly for rural residents. Within this environment, The Lexington Singers serves as a bridge for arts access, artistic excellence, education, and community connection.

The project benefits the community first by making choral music available to broad audiences and by giving community members opportunities to participate directly in the arts. Several performances are free, reducing financial barriers for audiences, while scholarships help ensure that qualified singers can participate regardless of socioeconomic status.

The Lexington Singers Children's Choir provides an especially important educational benefit. Through four treble choirs, children from kindergarten through high school receive instruction in sight-reading, music theory, vocal technique, and ensemble skills. These experiences build music literacy, confidence, discipline, collaboration, and long-term artistic achievement. The LSCC Chamber Choir's selection to perform at the 2025 Kentucky Music Educators Association Conference demonstrates the artistic quality of this work. A free summer camp further expands access by providing choral instruction, theory and literacy activities, music games, and hands-on learning without participant fees.

The project also strengthens Lexington's cultural identity and civic life through partnerships and public performances. Collaborations with the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra, University of Kentucky choirs and chamber orchestra, UK Opera Theatre, and other Kentucky artists provide community singers and audiences access to ambitious repertoire and artistic experiences. Recent community outreach included an ensemble performance in the University of Kentucky hospital courtyard in collaboration with the College of Medicine's Department of Integrative Medicine, performances for senior living communities and civic events, and holiday performances at Gatton Park.

The Lexington Singers also contributes to the region's visibility as an arts destination. Renowned American composer Elaine Hagenberg selected Artistic Director Dr. Jeff Johnson and The Lexington Singers for the United States premiere of Aeterna Via. Lexington's mayor presented Ms. Hagenberg with a key to the city at the performance, connecting artistic achievement with civic recognition. The Singers will also serve as the lead choir for the work's European premiere in Paris, extending Lexington's cultural presence internationally.

Finally, the project builds community through shared artistic participation. Singers, musicians, composers, volunteers, families, audiences, civic leaders, educators, and partner organizations come together around performances and educational experiences. These relationships strengthen belonging, support local and regional artists, and demonstrate the role of choral music in education, wellbeing, cultural vitality, and community engagement.

Our communications strategy combines digital engagement, structured campaign planning, and regional partnerships. We distribute program information through Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Givebutter email, and our website. Facebook is our strongest platform, generating 11,237 views in the past 28 days, up 91%, with 1,740 engagements; we have 3,199 followers and added 60 net followers in the past 90 days. Audience analytics guide outreach to new and younger audiences through video and collaborative content. Our branding emphasizes artistic excellence, collaboration, and community presence. Visibility is expanded through local media and event calendars including LexArts, WEKU, Commerce Lexington, the Richmond Chamber, Singletary Center for the Arts, and Lexington Philharmonic channels, strengthening cross-promotion, tourism visibility, and community engagement.

Partnerships are central to The Lexington Singers' artistic, educational, civic, and community impact. Artistic collaborations with the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra and the University of Kentucky choirs and chamber orchestra expand the scale and quality of performances, connect community singers with professional and university artists, and introduce audiences to major choral works. The Lexington Singers Children's Choir has also collaborated with UK Opera Theatre and the Lexington Philharmonic, giving young singers meaningful performance experiences.

Community partnerships extend programming beyond traditional concert halls. In collaboration with the University of Kentucky College of Medicine's Department of Integrative Medicine, a Lexington Singers ensemble performed in the hospital courtyard, using music to provide diversion and wellbeing for patients. The Singers also perform at senior living communities, civic events, charitable functions, and public spaces. Recent holiday performances at Gatton Park brought choral music directly into Lexington's newest downtown park.

First United Methodist Church serves as a rehearsal host and partner for an annual free benefit concert supporting its Backpack Program. The concert collects non-perishable food and raises funds for children experiencing food insecurity, connecting arts participation with a significant community need. Lexington Christian Academy hosts the free LSCC summer camp; the program is not religious in content.

The organization's memberships and relationships with Commerce Lexington and the Richmond Chamber strengthen connections with the business community. Promotion is also supported through LexArts, WEKU, local media, the Singletary Center for the Arts, Lexington Philharmonic channels, and regional event calendars.

These partnerships produce artistic, educational, cultural, and economic benefits. They broaden audiences, increase access to arts learning, support local artists, create opportunities for youth and adult singers, contribute to civic and downtown vitality, strengthen tourism visibility, and connect the arts with education, healthcare, food security, business, and community wellbeing. By sharing venues, audiences, expertise, communications networks, and artistic resources, partners allow The Lexington Singers to extend its reach and maximize the public value of each program.

Our goals are to provide high-quality choral performance opportunities for children, youth, and adults; expand public access to excellent choral music; cultivate young artists through music literacy and ensemble training; sustain artistic excellence through varied repertoire and collaborations; and deepen community engagement through free performances and outreach. These goals directly advance our mission to provide opportunities for citizens of Lexington and surrounding communities to participate in the performance and enjoyment of good choral music and to further understanding among all peoples through music. We will also strengthen membership, audience participation, partnerships, and access for people who face financial, geographic, or physical barriers to arts participation.

The Lexington Singers evaluates programming through both quantitative and qualitative measures. Ticket sales, venue attendance, program participation, new membership, member retention, charitable giving, social media metrics, and public relations coverage provide measurable indicators of reach and engagement. Audience and member surveys provide additional information about demographics, interests, satisfaction, and program impact.

Communications, marketing, and PR volunteers analyze digital engagement, while Board members review both digital measures of success. Detailed reports of these metrics are provided to the Board and used to assess progress toward program goals, identify training opportunities, and recommend improvements. Artistic Directors also evaluate whether repertoire and performance plans reflect the organization's artistic capacity and resources, span appropriate styles, genres, and levels of difficulty, include Kentucky-based content, and respond to community interests.

Evaluation findings are used for continuous improvement. The Board and artistic leadership review data for gaps in performance opportunities, programming, services, member experience, audience access, and community reach. Results inform future repertoire and season planning, marketing and communications, audience development, partnerships, volunteer support, and resource allocation. Social media and audience analytics help identify which content reaches new audiences and where additional outreach is needed. Membership and retention data assess the singer experience, while participation and attendance show whether programs reach intended audiences.

Success is therefore measured not only by attendance, but by sustained participation, artistic quality, audience response, youth engagement, partnerships, public visibility, and the organization's ability to broaden access to high-quality choral experiences throughout Central Kentucky.

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• 2024-Annual-report-for-Lexington-Singers.pdf