Welcome to the Newport Navy Choristers web site Latest News (20 January): The Performances page has been updated with dates and times for our spring performances. MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (May 15, 2009) Members of the College of Naval Warfare and the College of Naval Command and Staff, represent their respective branches of service at the Newport Navy Choristers "Proudly We Sing" concert at St. Lucy's Catholic Church, May 15.  During the singing of the Armed Forces Medley the members were called forward.  From left to right, Lt. Col. Robert Floersheim, U.S. Army; Col. Phillip W. Boggs, U.S. Marine Corps; Cmdr.  Breckenridge S. Morgan, U. S. Navy; Maj. Tammy S. Hinskton, U.S. Air Force; and Capt. James H. Whitehead, U.S. Coast Guard.  The five students from the Naval War College were greeted with a standing ovation. Click on the images below for views of us performing at The Breakers in December 2008. The Newport Navy Choristers is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to raise money for charitable organizations and to provide both chorus members and audiences with enjoyable choral experiences.  Membership is open to active duty, reserve, and retired military personnel (both officer and enlisted) of ALL the armed services and their dependents age 16 or over, as well as Department of Defense civilian employees and their dependents. The Choristers trace their lineage to a sing-a-long at the home of Francis Lull (later the first Director) in 1953.  First known as the Navy Wives Chorale, they became the Navy Wives Chorus in 1956.  Composed initially of wives of students and staff at the Naval War College, the chorus sang at Navy social functions and performed concerts at various locations in Newport.  In succeeding years, as the size and reputation of the chorus grew, husbands added their voices to those of their wives and the chorus began accepting members from other Naval Station Newport commands.  In 1959 the group became known as the Navy Choristers, and in 1963, the Newport Navy Choristers, in order to emphasize our ties to the local community. Although music is a universal language, its "dialects" vary with the individual.  Recognizing this, the Choristers strive for versatility in their choral selections.  Our repertoire features music written for the full chorus, male voices, female voices, small groups, and soloists.  Depending on the season and the theme of the concert, a typical program might include a medley of popular and patriotic tunes, folk music and spirituals, and classical selections.  Two subgroups of the Choristers, the Nautical Notes and the Sea Chanteys, perform at Chorister concerts and for occasions or in venues which are not suitable for the full chorus. Rehearsals are held at the Chapel of Hope on Tuesday evenings from September to May.  The Choristers currently perform five major concerts each year: "Christmas in Song" in Fall River and on Aquidneck Island in December, "Music for a Sunday Afternoon" on Aquidneck Island in March, "Music for a Lifetime" in conjunction with student choruses of the Newport schools in the Spring, and "Proudly We Sing" in May.  Since the Newport Navy Choristers is a non-profit organization, these concerts are always sponsored by a service or civic group looking to raise money to support its programs.  Since 1961, the Choristers have raised over $350,000 for such organizations in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts.  A few of our recent sponsors have been: The Fort Adams Trust, The Museum of Irish History, Stopover Services of Newport County, the Middletown Senior Center, Edward King House, Shepherd’s Center of Fall River, Newport Historical Society, and Looking Upwards. In recognition of the work they do supporting Navy and Marine Corps personnel, a portion of the proceeds from the "Music for a Sunday Afternoon" performance have been donated to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society since 1972.  The Choristers have also participated in many local Navy observances and memorials throughout the years.  A few of these are: "Navy Night at the Pops" at Symphony Hall, Boston and events celebrating the 200th Birthday of the U.S. Navy (both in 1975), commissioning of USS Normandy (1989) and USS Chafee (2003), a tribute to the Armed Forces/Desert Storm (1991), numerous Naval War College graduation ceremonies, the 9/11/01 Memorial dedication at the Naval War College (2002) and the annual NWC 9/11 Memorial observances since then. Last updated January 20, 2010