The Vancouver Master Chorale has gone through four names, three long-serving directors and several hundred concerts in its 75 years. In 1949, Vancouver residents Bill and Irma Slocum formed a small group called the Choraleers (a name chosen over the “Vancouver Symphonic Choir”). Having both studied at Juilliard, Bill taught voice and Irma taught piano. In a 40th anniversary interview, Irma said that Bill hated to see high school singers not have a way to continue. The first concert was at the old First Presbyterian Church at 10th and Daniels in December of 1949, and included Negro spirituals, madrigals, light opera and a Bach cantata.

During the 1950’s, the Choraleers worked with Vancouver Civic Theatre to stage musicals and Gilbert & Sullivan operettas.

In 1962, after several years of hiatus for the Choraleers, the Slocums invited 14 people to their home for an evening of singing. They enjoyed it so much that they decided to form a new choir. When it came time for the first concert, the group chose “The Brahms Singers” – because most of the music was by that composer. The original idea was for the name to be used only for the first concert, but the moniker stuck for another 32 years, only being superceded by Vancouver USA Singers in 1994, and finally Vancouver Master Chorale in 2019.