My Journey with Berkshire Choral International

Written By Ally Yablonski

Since 2015, Berkshire Choral International (BCI) has been a cornerstone of my musical life. The organization is a living testament to a powerful truth: music-making can—and should—be a lifelong pursuit. BCI deeply respects the singer, inviting each participant to stretch themselves artistically, physically, and socially.

As both a board member and frequent conductor, witnessing the extraordinary care BCI pours into its performers inspires my non-Berkshire work on a daily basis.

Each summer production with BCI holds a special place in my journey:

  • 2015: Dvořák’s Stabat Mater (Berkshire School, Massachusetts)

  • 2017: Mozart’s Mass in C Minor (Asheville, North Carolina)

  • 2019: Mendelssohn’s Elijah (Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts)

  • 2024: Bruckner’s Te Deum & Elgar’s The Music Makers (Musikverein, Vienna, Austria)

Looking ahead, my fifth appearance with BCI will bring us to SUNY Purchase, NY, to rehearse and perform Benjamin Britten’s monumental, deeply moving War Requiem.

Ally Yablonski
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