The North Carolina Master Chorale is the Resident Chorus of the North Carolina Symphony. Their most recent concerts with the Symphony featured Handel's Messiah, performed in December 2022.

As one of the major choral organizations in the Southeast, the North Carolina Master Chorale has been performing for 80 years. The Master Chorale includes a 180-voice Symphonic Choir, a smaller professional Chamber Choir, and a newly-added Youth Choir. Singers in both the Symphonic and Chamber Choirs, many of whom are professional singers, conductors and music educators, are selected by audition. The Youth Choir provides a professional environment for high school musicians to prepare and perform choral music.

Hailed by critics as Raleigh’s premier choral ensemble, the North Carolina Master Chorale primarily performs choral masterworks with orchestra, with the chamber choir performing diverse repertoire from Renaissance to contemporary music. In addition to performances as the Resident Chorus of the North Carolina Symphony, the Chorale regularly collaborates with symphony orchestras, opera and ballet companies, and touring productions. The organization has been previously awarded a Raleigh Medal of Arts in recognition of its rich heritage and numerous artistic contributions to the community.

Music Director Dr. Alfred Sturgis is a highly experienced and sought-after conductor celebrating 30 years of directing the Chorale. In addition to his work with the Master Chorale, Dr. Sturgis is also the Music Director of the Carolina Ballet and the Tar River Orchestra.

Founded in 1942 as the Raleigh Oratorio Society, the Master Chorale has evolved into a major regional performing arts group. Each season, the Chorale works with more than 250 artist-musicians and annually reaches an audience of more than 10,000 choral arts enthusiasts.