Guest blogger Lisa Taylor owns Taylor-Made Press, which represents The Texas Voices. If you are an artist, arts professional or arts educator and would like to post a guest blog, let us know at [email protected].

For the almost 20 years I’ve been working in the arts, I’ve always wondered about why more collaborations don’t happen. From what I’ve seen when collaborations DO happen, it’s good for all concerned. Recently I spoke to Sandra Conrad of the professional chamber chorus The Texas Voices about the group’s collaborative efforts.

Sandra likes collaboration because it means more people celebrating choral music in the long run. “It gives us a chance to work together, which adds excitement to the art.”

“There’s the perception that you’re stealing some one else’s audience,” Sandra said about why folks don’t collaborate frequently, “but we need to, we need to support each other.”

“If one group or person is successful, then everyone else is successful, especially where choral music is concerned, because our venues seldom seat more then 500 people, so there are plenty of audience members to go around!”

In its five year history, The Texas Voices has collaborated with the Celtic folk group called Vagabond, organists and Plano Civic Chorus. It also collaborates with local composers, such as The Texas Voice’s resident composer Debra Scroggins.

This Friday at The Texas Voices’ concert at Zion Lutheran Church, Texas Woman’s University’s Director of Choral Activities Dr. Joni Jensen will guest conduct and be a guest soloist. I look forward to the collaboration!