Who we are
Cantare Houston was founded in 2003 as a 16-member professional chamber choir. Since that time, the choir has evolved into a 24-voice ensemble whose engaging performances have won critical and popular acclaim. Some noteworthy accomplishments include:
Messiah with the Mercury Baroque Ensemble
Popular “walking concerts” at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston - chronological strolls through the galleries, pairing a cappella selections by the choir with artistic and historical commentary presented by museum docents
Festive jazz choral evenings with The Rob Landes Trio, including the world premiere of Sensations, commissioned by Cantare for our fifth anniversary season
Performances of Handel's oratorio Judas Maccabeus, presented at the Hobby Zilkha Hall to conclude our fifth anniversary season
A week-long residency with composer Ola Gjeilo, culminating in a festival concert featuring Cantare and more than 80 area high school choral honors students and directors, performing the world premiere of Luminous Night of the Soul, commissioned by Cantare
The much-anticipated annual “Christmas with Cantare” concerts at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
The release of albums Little Tree, Love Divine, and Dark Night - Luminous Night.
Our Founder
Kevin Riehle (1956 – 2022)
“You are important. You are worth caring for. You are precious because you exist. Think with your heart and feel with your mind. Let your art imitate life.”- Kevin Riehle
These words of our esteemed founder, Kevin Riehle, represent the heart and legacy of Cantare.
In 2003, Kevin formed Cantare Houston, a professional consort of singers dedicated to sharing choral music with the Houston community. Today, Cantare continues to enrich the cultural landscape of Houston with profound interpretations of choral works from a variety of eras, cultures, and countries.
Kevin was an accomplished composer and published numerous choral works. For many years, he served as the Director of the Parish Choir at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church and Head Director of Choirs and Fine Arts Chair at Katy Taylor High School. His choirs appeared at TCDA, Carnegie Hall, Washington National Cathedral, and in a number of cathedrals in England and Europe.
Kevin always led with passion and energy, not only for the music but for the singers themselves. With this same spirit, we strive to continue his mission.
Our Mission
Cantare is dedicated to presenting fresh, distinctive performances of the finest choral music of today and the past. We enrich the lives of our audiences and community through concerts and educational outreach, and enliven Houston’s choral music scene by:
Offering innovative programming which features not only historically important masterpieces, but also the works of promising contemporary composers
Encouraging area students to embrace the choral arts, thereby nurturing the singers of tomorrow
Supporting the careers of professional singers, providing an outlet through which they may perform great choral music at the highest artistic levels