About Us
established in 2022
CVCV History
by Doug Nagel, Coachella Valley Classical Voices Founding Director
I was working full-time in Montana at the University, and I would get home to the desert for summer break. I noticed that there was plenty of great entertainment here, but not much classical music.
While still teaching in Montana in 2021, my husband told me there was a soprano, Michelle Fiore, singing an online Covid fundraising recital, accompanied by pianist Kurt Jordan. I watched it and fell in love with Michelle’s voice. I vowed that when I returned home, I would sing a concert with them! I did.
On February 20, 2022, Michelle Fiore, Doug Nagel, and Kurt Jordan sang a concert at Hope Lutheran Church in Palm Desert. The concert was a huge success and attendance was excellent.
Michelle, Kurt, and Andrew Bird (an operatic tenor studying voice with me here) decided to put on a group concert and called it “From MET to Broadway.” On November 9, 2022, I assembled 7 artists at the Rancho Mirage Library. Our first concert was standing-room only, and our next concert was scheduled. On February 12th, 9 artists sang our second performance at Hope Lutheran Church, as part of their music series to another large audience.
It was clear that I was not the only one craving more classical offerings.
Since my birthday fell on Mother’s Day in 2023, I decided to give myself a birthday present with another concert. Before that concert, the current 9 artists had a meeting and voted for our permanent name: Coachella Valley Classical Voices. This title speaks more about who and what we are.
On May 14, 2023 – 11 artists sang at Palm Springs United Methodist Church. For this concert, I decided we needed a huge ending selection. With the war going on in Ukraine, I came up with the idea of a song dedicated to the mothers of the Ukrainian people. Since I have so many talented voice students, I decided to ask many of them to join us in an encore. Along with my students and some invited friends, we finished the concert with 40 artists on stage.
Adding the chorus was a huge success so I decided to name the chorus CV Singers, the chorus arm of CVCV. They will join us for a few selections at each concert.
My goal with CVCV is to entertain our audiences with exceptional singing of both Classical and Broadway selections, performed by talented local artists in venues throughout the valley.
The chorus addition was such a treat, along with bringing lots more audience, that we decided to name that arm CV Singers…the chorus arm of CVCV. They will join us at our concerts in a few selections…ones that we can perform well with minimal rehearsal.