About - Voices of Omaha

Our Mission

Voices of Omaha exists to present Handel’s Messiah every year, free and open to the entire community. No admission, no barriers, just a gift given every November.

We’re also committed to maintaining relevance in the present and nurturing musicians of all ages to assure an audience and chorus for the future, keeping this masterwork alive for new generations through performance and music education. Along the way, we’re building a chorus and an audience that reflect the full breadth of the Omaha metropolitan community, in every voice and every seat.

Our Story

On December 14, 1969, Voices of Omaha gave its first performance of Handel’s Messiah at the Omaha Civic Auditorium, led by founding director Leota Sneed Strong. It was offered to the community without charge, a tradition that has never wavered since.

In the decades since, the chorus has been shaped by the artistic direction of Thomas Brantigan, Michael Dryver, Z. Randall Stroope, Greg Zielke, Stanley E. Schmidt, and Edward B. Hurd, and continues today under Paul L. Koenig.

Membership has always been open to every religion, creed, and race, drawn from Omaha and its surrounding communities, with no audition required. Two of our original charter members still sing with the chorus today.

Keeping the concert free isn’t free to produce. Annual expenses run over $30,000, covered by chorus member dues, fundraising efforts (including the poinsettias on stage), and a free-will offering from the audience. We’re also grateful for the continued support of the Nebraska Arts Council, the Gilbert M. and Martha H. Hitchcock Foundation, the Giger Foundation, the Whitmore Charitable Trust, and the Omaha Community Foundation/Share Omaha campaign.