The Chorale was founded in 1964 by Maestro L. Paul Madore, for whom the chorale is named. Under Paul Madore’s direction, the Chorale sang a variety of music, from Gregorian Chant contemporary styles. The Chorale performed fully staged productions of Die Fledermaus, Verdi’s Manzoni Requiem, the Berlioz Requiem, and The Armed Man by Sir Karl Jenkins. Additionally, the Chorale toured France twice, notably, to participate in the 50th Anniversary of D-Day Concert. The Chorale also toured Italy in 1997 and sang for Pope John Paul 11.
René Minalga-Rheault carried on Paul’s legacy of great high quality music in 2019, where she founded an all-women’s ensemble Calliope in September 2021. She is a conductor, soprano, and pianist hailing from Shirley, Massachusetts. After receiving a Bachelor of Music from UMass Lowell, she acquired a GPD and Masters in piano performance from the Longy School of Music, where she studied piano with the late Ludmilla Lifson and organ with Dr. Libor Dudaš. Continuing studies at the Longy School led René to pursue a passion for early music where she studied voice with Ryan Turner, and Pamela Dellal. René has performed with the Boston Camerata, Boston Opera Collaborative and Eudaimonia. She is currently the music director of the vibrant music program at Trinity Lutheran Church of Chelmsford. In 2023, she also started a women’s vocal group centered solely on medieval music called Elements.
Robin McKee Williams MA, CMVT, is the current director of the Paul Madore Chorale. She is a mezzo-soprano soloist for the Monterey Peninsula and San Francisco areas. Her training includes the Royal Conservatory of Music, Stanford University, San Jose State University and the McClosky Institute of Voice.
She has been the soloist and alto section leader at the Rockefeller Chapel at The University of Chicago and performed with Elmer Iseler and the Toronto Symphony and the Toronto Operetta Theater. She was the regular soloist for the Bing Music Series at the Stanford Hospital for six years.
She has toured Europe extensively with the American Tapestry Choir with composer and conductor Joseph Martin. Her training as a conductor includes the Distinguished Concerts International New York Mentoring program for a decade. She was able to work with Michael Adelson on staff at New York Philharmonic, Jonathan Griffith, artistic director of DCINY, New York City and Dr. Craig Jessop, formerly of the Morman Tabernacle Choir. She has directed at the Forest Theater, Carmel Ballet Academy, Youth Musical Director at The Western Stage and Hartnell College. For over a decade she has directed concerts with her Choral Artists of Carmel a professional choir in Monterey, California. This past year she premiered an opera by composer Heather Green of Berlin, Germany.
Robin is a published lyricist. Composer Will Todd from the UK and American composers Thomas LaVoy, Dr. Frederick Mabalot, Heather Green and Michael Orlinksy have used her poems for SATB choral settings.
Robin has recently located to Salem, MA. She has been teaching the McClosky technique for decades and continues to be inspired by the wonderful teaching of Blair McClosky. All levels of ability are welcome in her vocal studio. She is presently teaching online.
Mission Statement
The Paul Madore Chorale (PMC) performs inspiring choral music for cultural and educational enrichment for audiences on Boston’s North Shore for people of all ages and backgrounds. They promote changing lives through the inspiration of beautiful music.
