Since 1995, The Woodlands Chorale has been performing beautiful choral music in The Woodlands, Texas. We have performed a wide range of music from intimate contemporary pieces to large choral masterworks, many with orchestra or small instrumental ensembles. We are privileged to have in The Chorale some of the best singers in the community and are committed to inspiring a passion for excellent choral music within The Woodlands and the surrounding communities.
Mission Statement
The mission of The Woodlands Chorale is:
- To uphold the highest standards in the performance of classical and contemporary choral repertoire
- To reach out into the community to attract, educate, and inspire the broadest possible audience
- To recruit the best singers in our community as members of the Chorale
Read an article on The Chorale‘s appointment of new artistic director Mark Marotto, PhD
Mark Marotto, PhD
Artistic Director
Dr. Marotto has served as Artistic Director of the Woodlands Chorale since 2021. He has directed the choral program at Lone Star College- Montgomery for more than 10 years and has also served as Chair of Music and Dance.
Originally from New Jersey, Dr. Marotto has lived and worked in several countries throughout Europe and North America. During his eight years in Switzerland, he served as Artistic Director of Le Louverain, a summer choral festival in Neuchâtel, and he conducted several ensembles including the Bern University Chorus, Le Motet de Genève and the Lausanne Youth Choir. More recently, he served as artistic director of the Houston Cecilia Chamber Choir and the Windsor Classic Chorale in Canada.
Dr. Marotto completed his doctorate in choral conducting at the University of Michigan and his research focuses on collective virtuosity and the transfomational effects of music and dance. He also holds a master’s degree in orchestral conducting from the National Music University of Bucharest, Romania and a bachelor’s in music, summa cum laude, from Duke University. He has worked with a number of prominent conductors, among them Helmuth Rilling, Christopher Hogwood and Kurt Masur.
Matthew Martinez, MA
Accompanist
Matthew Martinez is the Assistant Choir Director at Beverly Hills Intermediate in Pasadena ISD. He holds degrees in Piano Performance from University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton TX and in Choral Conducting from Sam Houston State University where he studied under Denise Eaton, Mike Ware, and James Franklin. He is in high demand as an accompanist and music director in Houston and surrounding areas where he plays for vocalists, instrumentalists, and choirs. He has played for numerous vocal ensembles across the state of Texas, including Bell Civic Chorale, Temple College Symphony Chorale, SHSU Chorale, and the Region XIX Region Choir. Matthew also serves as the Church Pianist at First Baptist Church in Conroe.
Leadership Team
- Marjorie Russell – President
- Rick Ray – Vice President
- Gary Wooddell – Treasurer
- Michael Rock – Secretary
- Gary Heath – Director at Large
- Erin Love-Rock – Director at Large
- Diana Malin – Director at Large
- Nancy Davis – Director at Large
- Daniela Herrero – Director at Large
- Barbara Kurtz – Director at Large
- Caroline Polgar – Director at Large
