Berkeley Community Chorus

What Berkeley Community Chorus does

Berkeley Community Chorus & Orchestra (BCCO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization founded in 1966 in Berkeley, California, operating as one of the largest non-auditioned symphonic choruses in the San Francisco Bay Area. The core ensemble fields a chorus of 160-240 singers who perform major choral masterworks with full orchestra in free public concerts, primarily at Hertz Hall on the UC Berkeley campus. The organization also operates two wholly-owned sub-brands: the Berkeley Women's Community Chorus (BWCC) and the Berkeley Community Chamber Singers (BCCS), a 25-voice a cappella outreach group performing at senior residences, hospitals, shelters, and community events across the region.

The artistic offering is augmented by a conductor mentoring program, a nationwide vocal soloist competition, and an emerging composer competition that commissions and premieres new works. BCCO has historically toured internationally (Eastern Europe in 2013, Belgium and Germany in 2016) and maintains ongoing collaborations with regional orchestras including the Berkeley Symphony, Stanford Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Bach Choir, and the Young People's Symphony Orchestra. The 2025-2026 season marks the organization's 60th anniversary, anchored by a commissioned Terezin Requiem by Michael Schachter alongside Verdi's Requiem.

Revenue is generated through a mix of member tuition, individual donations (including stock gifts, IRA QCDs, and the Elizabeth Pigford Legacy Society), and institutional grants from the City of Berkeley and the Alameda County Arts Commission. The Fall 2024/Spring 2025 projected budget is approximately $372,000 in revenue against $377,000 in expenses, with more than half of the budget dependent on voluntary donations. The organization is governed by a 15-member Board of Directors elected from among chorus members, with no parent company, equity investors, or commercial software platform. Distribution is regional and event-based; outreach is conducted through Facebook, Instagram, email newsletters, and a media partnership with KALW 91.7 FM radio.

Name

Berkeley Community Chorus

Legal name

Berkeley Community Chorus & Orchestra

Website

https://bcco.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Berkeley Community Chorus & Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1966 that operates a non-auditioned symphonic chorus of up to 240 singers, performing major choral works with full orchestra in free public concerts for Bay Area audiences and sustaining operations through member tuition, donations, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community performing arts (choral music)

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (71119)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB)

Keywords

• Community choral performances
• Symphonic chorus concerts
• Free classical concerts
• Non-auditioned singing ensemble
• Community music outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The majority of BCCO's budget comes from donations from chorus members and the general community. This includes one-time gifts, recurring monthly payments, stock donations, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), and estate planning gifts through the Elizabeth Pigford Legacy Society.
2. Member Tuition: BCCO charges tuition for chorus members, which contributes to the organization's revenue.
3. Government and Arts Grants: BCCO receives grants from the City of Berkeley and the Alameda County Arts Commission, providing institutional funding support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Berkeley Community Chorus & Orchestra is a non-auditioned community performing-arts organization that rehearses and performs major symphonic choral masterworks with a full orchestra and delivers the resulting concerts free of charge to the general public. It also operates an affiliated women's chorus, a 25-voice chamber-singers outreach ensemble, and artist-development programs for emerging conductors, vocal soloists, and composers.

Product overview

Berkeley Community Chorus & Orchestra (BCCO) is a non-auditioned community performing arts organization offering multiple choral programs: the main BCCO symphonic chorus (160-240 singers performing major choral works with orchestra), the Berkeley Women's Community Chorus (BWCC), and the Berkeley Community Chamber Singers (BCCS, a 25-voice a cappella outreach group). The organization has provided free community concerts for over 50 years and supports emerging artists through conductor mentoring, vocal soloist competitions, and emerging composer competitions. BCCO does not operate as a software platform but as a traditional performing arts ensemble with affiliated choral groups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Berkeley Women's Community Chorus: Women's chorus affiliated with BCCO, directed by Julia Morris
• Berkeley Community Chamber Singers

Products and services

• Berkeley Community Chorus & Orchestra (BCCO) The main symphonic chorus of BCCO, a non-auditioned choir of approximately 160–240 singers that performs major choral works with a full orchestra in free community concerts. Founded in 1966, it is one of the largest standing symphonic choruses in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Berkeley Women's Community Chorus (BWCC) A women's chorus affiliated with BCCO, founded in response to high demand for BCCO membership. Directed by Julia Morris, it offers an additional singing opportunity for women in the community.
• Berkeley Community Chamber Singers (BCCS) A 25-voice a cappella group serving as BCCO's outreach arm, performing at senior residences, hospitals, shelters, street fairs, and community events. Directed by Costas Dafnis.
• BCCO Orchestra Full orchestral accompaniment for BCCO concerts, drawn from community musicians including professionals from groups such as the Berkeley Symphony.
• Conductor Mentoring Program BCCO's assistant conductor program offering emerging conductors experience working with a large symphonic chorus under Music Director Ming Luke.
• Emerging Composer Competition Annual competition for emerging composers to have original compositions premiered by BCCO, with monetary prizes awarded.
• Vocal Soloist Competition Nationwide search for vocal soloists to perform with BCCO, providing young professional singers performance opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• One of the largest choruses in California with 240 members
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Young People's Symphony Orchestra (YPSO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024BCCO collaborated with YPSO in January 2024 for a performance of Poulenc's Gloria at Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church. Nearly 700 attendees including Berkeley High School students. Chorus of over 75 singers including participants from other Bay Area choruses.
• San Francisco Bach ChoirminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2019BCCO joined SF Bach Choir for 'Bach and Brew' community sing events at Fieldwork Brewery in Berkeley, exploring songs, rounds, and Brahms' German Requiem.
• Vallejo Chorale SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2019Julia Morris, BWCC Director, also serves as Artistic Director of Vallejo Choral Society, maintaining collaborative ties between organizations.
• First Church BerkeleyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019BCCO members joined First Church Festival Chorus for Vaughan Williams performances including 'Dona Nobis Pacem' as part of the Resonance Series.
• Golden Gate Symphony Orchestra & ChorusminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2018BCCO singers joined Golden Gate Symphony for June 2018 performance of Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky cantata at Herbst Theater.
• Berkeley SymphonycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2018Selected BCCO singers joined Berkeley Symphony and UC Chorus for Beethoven Ninth performance at Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley. Guest conductor Ken-David Masur.
• Slavyanka (Russian Choral Music Festival)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2017BCCO singers joined Slavyanka for the Russian Choral Music Festival, performing Taneyev works including the West Coast premiere of 'Ioann Damaskin' at Mission Dolores Basilica.
• Merced SymphonyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2016Nearly 60 singers from over 12 choruses joined BCCO-initiated festival chorus to perform Carmina Burana with the Merced Symphony under Ming Luke's direction.
• Oakland BalletminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2016Special collaboration between Oakland Ballet and local choral groups including Berkeley Community Chamber Singers for newly-choreographed works set to Stephen Foster songs.
• Stanford Symphony OrchestraminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013BCCO singers joined Stanford Symphony Orchestra and Symphony Silicon Valley Chorale to perform Mahler's Second Symphony (Resurrection) at Bing Hall.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Peninsula Women's Chorus: Bay Area women's community chorus with a comparable nonprofit, volunteer-governed model and free or low-cost public concerts, closely analogous to BCCO's BWCC affiliate.
• Contra Costa Chorale: East Bay community chorus with comparable nonprofit structure, auditioned and non-auditioned ensemble programming, and overlapping Bay Area audience pool.
• Masterworks Chorale: Peninsula-based community chorale performing symphonic choral masterworks, directly comparable to BCCO's symphonic chorus model and audience profile.
• San Francisco Bach Choir: Bay Area community choral organization with comparable nonprofit mission, amateur-to-professional singer mix, and history of collaboration with BCCO on community sing events. Direct peer in scale and audience.
• Oakland Symphony Chorus: East Bay symphonic chorus affiliated with a regional professional orchestra, directly comparable in mission and Bay Area audience overlap with BCCO.
• San Francisco Choral Society: Long-standing Bay Area community chorus performing major choral works with paid memberships and ticketed concerts, comparable in repertoire ambition and regional audience.
• San Francisco Symphony Chorus: Premier Bay Area symphonic chorus performing major choral works with orchestra, serving as a benchmark for artistic ambition and audience scale in the same regional market.
• Schola Cantorum: South Bay community chorus and orchestra presenting major choral masterworks with full orchestra, closely mirroring BCCO's symphonic-chorus concert model. Comparable nonprofit structure and Bay Area footprint.
• Piedmont Choirs: East Bay community choral program offering ensemble participation for singers of varied backgrounds, with a similar educational and performance mission in BCCO's geographic backyard.

Broad incumbents

• Berkeley Symphony: Professional East Bay orchestra that has collaborated with BCCO on Beethoven Ninth and other major works; broader portfolio of orchestral programming but shared local market and audience base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/berkeley.chorus
• Instagraminstagram.com/bcco.chorus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/berkeley-community-chorus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Berkeley Community Chorus