Our History
The Central Texas Choral Society was reorganized in 2012 as an auditioned community chorus in the Central Texas area. CTCS evolved out of the Waco Civic Chorus, which was active from the late 1970’s until 2003. Former Baylor School of Music Professor Robert Young was the founding director of the chorus. Dr. Young and the original members of the chorus saw the need to have a community choral ensemble and laid the groundwork for what today is CTCS. Dr. Donald Balmos, then Director of the Department of Fine Arts at McLennan Community College, took over the responsibilities of leadership and musical direction in the mid 80’s. During his tenure, the chorus performed many of the standard works for chorus and orchestra. John McLean, who also served as Assistant Director of Choral Activities at Baylor University at the time, was Artistic Director from 2001-2003. Current Artistic Director, Dr. David Guess, sang with the chorus in the 1990’s and took over the baton as president and musical director in 2012.
Who we are
CTCS members come from communities throughout Central Texas and consists of over 160 singers from all walks of life – stay-at-home moms; business leaders and community activists; faculty from all levels of education; even high school singers who want to have a different musical experience. Not all members sing every concert, as they try to match the number of singers needed to the requirements of the work being performed. It is also understood that life often interrupts the opportunity to be involved in CTCS on an active basis and, though the core of singers remains fairly constant, singers often join when their schedules allow. One of the unique aspects of the chorus is the participation of family units – husbands and wives; dads and sons; moms and daughters; even entire families often join together to have the wonderful cultural experience of singing great works of art.
Our Vision And Our Accomplishments
The ensemble presents 3 to 4 concerts per season and is committed to the performance of important compositional milestones in the choral art. The chorus recently joined the Waco
Symphony Orchestra in a performance of “Home Alone LIVE!” Other recent performances include a collaboration with Waco Civic Theatre in a 3-weekend run of “Hunchback of Notre Dame”; a performace of two “Gloria” texts by John Rutter and Randol Alan Bass; three collaborative performances with the McLennan Community Orchestra – Durfle’s “Requiem,” Vaughan Williams’ “Dona Nobis Pacem,” and a concert of great opera choruses. They have also performed Mozart’s Requiem with the Midway High School Chamber Singers; Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living; Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms; Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore; Orff’s Carmina Burana; Daniel Pinkham’s Christmas Cantata; Brahms’ German Requeim; Franz Liszt’s 2-piano transcription of the finale from Beethoven’s Symphony #9; and 14 sold-out performances of Les Miserables with the Waco Civic Theater. The ensemble also performs in smaller groups at local cultural activities throughout Central Texas, including Christmas at Baylor, the Junior League Christmas Bazaar, Waco’s Christmas Tree lighting; and the Cultural Arts Festival.
Members of the chorus joined the Fairfax Choral Society on a tour of Scotland and Ireland during the summer of ’24, presenting concerts in Edinburg, Glasgow, and Dublin. They also performed in Carnegie Hall in 2018 and have a planned Festival concert in the Kennedy Center in May of 2026.
CTCS is an official 501(c)(3) organization and all monetary gifts of any amount are most welcome and tax deductible. All contributors will be acknowledged in our concert programs. For further information, e-mail centexchoralsociety@gmail.com or call (254) 717-4736. Donations can also may be mailed to the following address: Central Texas Choral Society, 405 Water Wood Cir, Woodway, TX 76712