About Us

Mount Hope World Singers (MHWS) seeks to build community and foster intercultural understanding through engaging, high-quality, respectful performance of music in original languages from around the globe.

REHEARSALS & ATTENDANCE POLICY

Mount Hope World Singers rehearses for roughly seven months of the year (February through May and September through December). Rehearsals are held on Sundays from 2 to 4 pm at the Community of the Savior (4 East Henrietta Road, Rochester) and remotely via Zoom. 

Mount Hope World Singers is a community chorus, and we enthusiastically welcome all singers to join us. No auditions are required. However, we are also a performing group and pride ourselves on presenting high-quality concerts. While perfect attendance at rehearsals isn’t mandatory, and while we understand that sometimes life intervenes, we encourage regular attendance at rehearsals. In particular, all singers should make every effort to be present for the two rehearsals prior to performances.  

SUPPORT

Mount Hope World Singers is a member organization of South East Area Coalition (SEAC), which is a 501(c)3 organization. We receive financial support from four sources:

• Singers in the chorus contribute on a sliding scale with an average contribution of $150/year.

• We gratefully accept donations at performances.

• For major performances, local businesses may purchase ad space in our printed programs.

• With deep appreciation, we accept private donations and grants.

COMMUNITY COLLABORATION

The chorus's repertoire is varied and often includes percussion. We happily collaborate with other artists including dancers, visual artists, composers, and other choral ensembles. We are passionate about bringing art into the community, particularly to underserved areas. 

Past performance venues have included public schools, churches, senior living centers, the Rochester Central Library, the Rochester Psychiatric Center, and Monroe Community Hospital. Mount Hope World Singers has also participated in many community events, including the William Warfield Scholarship Celebration, AIDS Awareness Day, and the Rochester People’s Climate Coalition March for Global Climate Action. The chorus has collaborated with FuturPointe Dance, Nazareth Dance Ensemble, New Bethel CME Church, the Taiwanese Choir, Sladki Doumi Balkan Women’s Chorus, BIODANCE, and many individual performers. 

Mount Hope World Singers is a member of the Greater Rochester Choral Consortium and has performed in GRCC’s prism concerts at Kodak Hall at the Eastman Theatre.

MANAGEMENT TEAM

Mount Hope World Singers is supported by a team of organizers who manage the finances, communication, and performance arrangements for the chorus. The management team consists of Artistic Director Annika Bentley, Conductor Brian White, Business Manager Kathleen Fraser, and Marketing Assistant Val Dimino. Additional volunteers assist with these and other tasks as needed, provide refreshments at rehearsals, and maintain our music library.

FRAGRANCE-FREE

Mount Hope World Singers is fragrance-free! We are mindful of those with chemical sensitivities and refrain from wearing perfume, cologne, or other scented products to rehearsals and concerts.

ACCESSIBILITY

Mount Hope World Singers is working to become accessible and welcoming to individuals who are blind or have low vision and individuals who for other reasons do not read music.  

For more information on joining the chorus, booking a performance, or forming a collaboration, please contact us.