More than 300 high school singers join the Omaha Symphony for the 23rd annual Choral Collaborative, performing Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass at the Holland Performing Arts Center. Photo: Omaha Symphony.
Omaha Symphony’s Choral Collaborative Brings Together Hundreds of High School Voices
November 7th, 2025
For the 23rd year, the Omaha Symphony’s Choral Collaborative is set to fill the Holland Performing Arts Center with the voices of more than three hundred high school singers. Six local schools—Bellevue West, Bennington, Blair, Fremont, Creighton Prep, and Plattsmouth—join forces with the symphony to perform some of the most celebrated works in choral music.
Under the direction of Omaha Symphony Resident Conductor Ernest Richardson and Creighton University chorusmaster Barron Breland, the students tackle masterpieces alongside four professional soloists. This year, the collaborative program has focused on Franz Joseph Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, a composition originally called the Missa Augustiis or “Mass in Troubled Times.” Composed late in Haydn’s life after his visits to London, the work honors Lord Horatio Nelson’s defeat of Napoleon and captures a wide emotional spectrum—from solemn reflection to triumphant celebration. Students perform it in Latin, bringing both precision and passion to the performance.
In addition to Haydn, the program includes Elaine Hagenberg’s Illuminare, a contemporary American choral work celebrated worldwide for its brilliance and expressive depth. The combination of historical and modern masterpieces gives students an unmatched educational experience, immersing them in both technique and artistry.
“This is my favorite project to do,” Richardson says. “The sound of more than 300 voices is powerful and life changing.” For many of the students, the Choral Collaborative is a rare chance to experience professional-level performance and to bring these monumental works to life.
The performance takes place on Sunday, November 10, at 2 p.m. Tickets are available now, and the event will also be broadcast on KVNO with a pre-show beginning at 1:55 p.m. For audiences, this is more than a concert—it’s a celebration of music, collaboration, and the next generation of choral talent in Omaha.
