The vision behind the sound.
Resonaré was founded on a simple conviction: that extraordinary choral music can exist alongside fair compensation, new voices, and deep community engagement.
Jacob Boland
Jacob Boland is the founding Artistic Director of Resonaré Chamber Choir. With deep roots in the Southern California choral community, he brings a vision for professional choral music that is artistically uncompromising, structurally equitable, and culturally accountable.
His approach to programming begins with questions, not genres. Each Resonaré project is built around a thematic inquiry that determines the repertoire, the voices, and the spaces where the music is performed. The result is an ensemble that sounds different every time it assembles, shaped entirely by what the music demands.
Under his leadership, Resonaré is built on two non-negotiable commitments: paying every singer for every service, and commissioning new music from day one. These are not stretch goals. They are the foundation of an organization designed for the long term.
We would rather do one thing at an extraordinary level than five things at a mediocre one.
The Artistic Director's role at Resonaré extends beyond the podium. It encompasses the curatorial vision that selects repertoire, the casting decisions that build each project's unique ensemble, the commissioning relationships with living composers, and the community partnerships that determine where and for whom the music is performed.
Every decision is guided by a single principle: the music comes first. Institutional convenience, personal preference, and tradition are all secondary to what the music requires. If a piece demands 16 voices, the ensemble is 16. If it demands 40, the ensemble is 40. If it demands expertise in a tradition outside the AD's own training, cultural consultants and coaches are brought in as collaborators, not afterthoughts.
Musical Standards
Professional singers arrive prepared. Rehearsal time is for making music, not learning pitches. Intonation, diction, dynamics, and blend are active artistic choices, not passive habits.
Rehearsal Culture
Lean, focused, efficient. 2 to 4 rehearsals per project, 2 to 3 hours each. Every minute is planned. We start on time, end on time, and do not waste a breath.
Commissioning Vision
New music is not a special occasion. It is woven into every season. Composers are invited into rehearsals to collaborate directly with singers. Every commissioned work is performed at least twice.
Trust is the prerequisite.
You cannot sing vulnerably alongside someone if you do not feel safe. The rehearsal room that Jacob builds is grounded in mutual respect, professional accountability, and the understanding that every person in the room carries a unique artistic background that strengthens the collective.
High Expectations, Deep Respect
The standard is professional excellence. The approach is human. Mistakes are learning moments, not liabilities. Questions are encouraged. Every singer's artistry is valued.
Identity Honored
Names, pronouns, and boundaries are respected without exception. Non-binary and gender-nonconforming singers are welcome to sing in whichever section suits their voice.
Preparation as Respect
Arriving prepared is a form of respect for every other person in the room. With only 2 to 4 rehearsals, every minute matters. Notes learned means notes learned.
Listening as Artistry
Blend is not volume management. It is attention management. The ability to place your voice inside a collective sound is what transforms a group of soloists into an ensemble.