It produces an annual series of subscription concerts, typically presented at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and other venues across the Metropolitan D.C. area.
In 2000, the chorus appeared in an episode of The West Wing involving a major character's recovery from music-induced post-traumatic stress disorder.
The Chorus has recorded under the batons of notable conductors including Antal Doráti, Valery Gergiev, Mstislav Rostropovich, Norman Scribner, and Leonard Slatkin.
"[27] The choir was reassembled for subsequent Messiah performances (appearing as the "National Symphony Orchestra Chorus"),[citation needed] but in 1965 it was decided to form an independent organization under Scribner's direction.
That September, it received a $5,000 matching grant from the National Endowment for the Arts - the first ever given directly to a performing chorus, and given with the "personal imprimatur" of NEA chairman Nancy Hanks.
The funding also allowed the group to "try more diversified programs, ranging from symphonic assignments to small chamber appearances using only a fraction of the entire 100-voice ensemble.
"[30] On September 8, 1971, members of the chorus participated (as the professional "Norman Scribner Choir") in the world premiere of Bernstein's MASS.
[31] Following its opening, Scribner was credited with "mov[ing] effectively to take advantage of the resources of the Kennedy Center, making it the central performing platform for his chorus.
In 1990, Rostropovich stated that "[t]he existence of this wonderful group ... has completely changed the life of Washington, D.C." By then, the organization - "long a mom-and-pop operation" - had "metamorphosed into a highly professional enterprise" that included a full-time administrative staff, a "new and very active board," an endowment campaign, and a program devoted to minority participation in choral music in Washington.
[37] Tucker began his tenure with Choral Arts in its 2012–13 season, preparing the chorus for a performance of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis for the National Symphony under the direction of Christoph Eschenbach.
[38] Choral Arts operates with an annual budget of approximately $2 million,[39] with income derived from ticket revenues, individual and corporate donations, and government grants.