About us
Sonoro Choral Society is an independent, not-for-profit choral organization based in the south Puget Sound area. It is our mission to inspire passion for choral music through accessibility and education.
In 2007, Director Jeremy Shilley noticed a lack of accessibility in the choral music community. There were few high quality performance opportunities for amateur singers and few opportunities for amateur singers to grow in their art. At the same time, choral music was opaque to the average listener. So Director Shilley founded the Sonoro Choral Society to make choral music even more egalitarian. Through his vision, our organization works to celebrate the arts through education among both our members and fans as well as deliver high quality, community-focused art.
We are currently comprised of two performing ensembles, the Sonoro Women’s Choir (2011) and Elysium (2018).
Our Mission
1. To provide performance opportunities for amateur musicians and to establish a supportive community dedicated to helping its members grow in confidence and vocal technique.
2. To provide excellent choral art to the public made accessible and enjoyable through education, contextualization, and translation.
Our Values
Sonoro Choral Society pursues our mission through…
Excellence: Fostering growth, innovation, professionalism, and quality music.
Community: A spirit of inclusiveness between members with enthusiastic participation in the broader civic and artistic communities.
Empowerment: Encouraging self-actualization through education, performance, teamwork, and support.
Stewardship: Using our funds and time to support our mission with gratitude, wisdom, and integrity.
Sonoro Women’s Choir Christmas 2019
Our Director
Jeremy Shilley has been an active musician in the Northwest since his youth and brings with him a diverse background as a conductor, director, professional baritone, studio voice coach, and bagpiper.
An alumnus of Pacific Lutheran University (PLU), Jeremy’s own performance career is active and diverse. He has sung with Tacoma Opera and Bellevue Opera, and was the featured baritone in Tacoma Opera’s 2009 Young Artist Showcase. He has also performed as a supplemental chorister for Seattle Opera.
As an ensemble director, Jeremy has conducted and directed for a variety of groups such as the Tacoma Norwegian Children’s Choir, the Northwest McGregor Pipe Band, the Peninsula Pipes & Drums, the Tahoma Voices Chorale, and Sonoro Choral Society.Jeremy is currently a member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), the Music Educators National Conference (MENC), and the National Association for Teachers of Singing (NATS).