Our Mission

Camerata Sonora brings little known, rarely heard music to life through immersive, imaginative performances that tell a story.

Our Values

  • Inclusivity: We believe anyone can make music, and music is for everyone. We welcome adult musicians of all levels of experience. We endeavor to make participation in Camerata Sonora welcoming and accessible to everyone regardless of age, gender identity, physical ability, race, sexual orientation, or religion.
  • Curiosity: We approach unconventional, challenging music with a sense of curiosity and a desire to learn, and we strive to spark curiosity in our audiences. More than just performers, we are interpreters and “storytellers” of music.
  • Dedication: We rise to the challenge of the music, and commit ourselves to continually grow as musicians and perform at our highest level.
  • Respect: We support and respect each other as equal colleagues and contributors, and we approach the diverse traditions and cultural practices behind the music we perform with respect.
  • Community: We cultivate a sense of community among our members, and we engage with our audience in ways that emphasize connection to the Tucson community.

Who We Are

Camerata Sonora is a vocal chamber ensemble whose members are a mix of highly-trained, semi-professional musicians, and talented, dedicated amateurs with little formal music training.

We are drawn to rarely-performed classical and folk music from diverse cultures and periods, as well as music—both historical and contemporary—that pushes the boundaries of Western musical conventions.

We aim to subvert conceptions of chamber music performance as academic and unapproachable. Our performances present music as alive, constantly evolving, and intimately linked to identity and a sense of place.

History

Camerata Sonora began in 2017 as a pick-up group of local professional-level musicians. In this early incarnation, Camerata presented a program of Jewish choral and solo vocal music from around the world, as well as Leonard Bernstein’s seldom-performed Chichester Psalms. The group reassembled with returning and new members in fall 2018 for “Around the Black Sea,” a program of traditional music from Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

While preparing for our May 2019 concert “With Common Heart and Voice,” Camerata sought to formally organize. As of spring 2020 we are a fiscally sponsored member of Arizona Choral Arts Association.