Formed in 1879 by a group of local university and townspeople who gathered together for the study of Handel’s Messiah, the UMS Choral Union has performed with many of the world’s distinguished orchestras and conductors in its 139-year history. First led by Professor Henry Simmons Frieze and then conducted by Professor Calvin Cady, the group has performed Handel’s Messiah in Ann Arbor annually since its first Messiah performance in December 1879. Based in Ann Arbor under the aegis of UMS and led by Scott Hanoian, the 150-voice Choral Union is known for its definitive performances of large-scale works for chorus and orchestra. In addition to its annual performances of Handel’s Messiah, the UMS Choral Union’s 2025–26 season includes a performance of Verdi’s Requiem with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Holst’s The Planets with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, and Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius with the University of Michigan Life Sciences Orchestra.

The UMS Choral Union was a participant chorus in a rare performance and Grammy Award winning recording of William Bolcom’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience under the baton of Leonard Slatkin. Other recent highlights include a Grammy nominated recording project of the rarely heard Oresteian Trilogy by Darius Milhaud conducted by Kenneth Kiesler and collaborations with the San Francisco Symphony, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and New York Philharmonic. The ensemble received The American Prize in Choral Performance (community division) for its 2017 performance of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis.

The UMS Choral Union strives to create an environment that is accessible, diverse, equitable, and inclusive of all. Participation in the Choral Union remains open to all students and adults by audition. For more information on how to audition, please visit www.ums.org/choralunion.