Community Woven Together Through Song
The Missoula Family of Choirs stands on a foundation built over decades—shaped by the belief that singing together strengthens the human spirit.
The nonprofit organization Missoula Community Chorus, Inc. started in 2001 to support one choir—Missoula Community Chorus. In 2017 MPower Voices became part of the nonprofit and in 2022, Missoula Forte Children’s Choir made the family a trio.
In 2026, Missoula Community Chorus, Inc. adopted a new umbrella identity: Missoula Family of Choirs. The name reflects what our singers and audiences know—we are a community of communities, united by a shared mission to inspire belonging through music.
Under this new banner, our three ensembles continue to rehearse weekly, perform throughout Missoula and beyond, and create spaces where every voice is valued. Scholarships, accessible programming, and partnerships with local arts and civic organizations ensure that all who wish to sing have a place here.
The Missoula Family of Choirs remains committed to:
Welcoming singers of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds
Creating inclusive, non-auditioned musical experiences
Building community through shared artistry
Offering performances that uplift, connect, and inspire
Our story continues—with every rehearsal, every performance, and every voice that joins our family of choirs.
1998: The Beginning
Alayne Dolson saw a need that could not be ignored. Students with disabilities were graduating from high school and suddenly losing the daily rhythm of connection—friends, mentors, and the creative outlets that had shaped their lives. She believed they deserved a place where that sense of belonging could continue.
So she approached Malcolm Lowe with a bold idea: Would he direct a new choir under the VSA Arts umbrella? A choir designed specifically to give these young adults a musical home, a social anchor, and a space to express themselves with joy and confidence.
He said yes. From that commitment, what is now MPower Voices was born.
Since its founding, MPower Voices has served Missoula’s differently‑abled community with heart, humor, and radiant artistry. Their performances continue to delight audiences with their open, wholehearted manifestations of joy. MPower Voices remains one of the most beloved expressions of what our organization stands for: inclusion, dignity, and the transformative power of singing together.
“Every person in the world needs a place to sing. It does not matter whether you are headed to the Metropolitan Opera stage or the church choir—or a choir that has people who can’t speak—all are there because they love music.”
2001: A Chorus Born in a Time of Need
On September 12, 2001, the Missoula Community Chorus gathered for its very first rehearsal under the direction of Don Comstock. We had expected forty singers—but the morning before the world changed because of 9/11 and instead, one hundred and twenty people walked through the rehearsal doors. We sang, we cried, and we sang again.
A week later, the chorus offered its first public performance at Missoula’s 9/11 Memorial Service in Caras Park, standing with the community in grief and resolve. By December 31, 2001, the chorus presented its first full concert.
“The musical beauty of singing together continues to inspire hope, help create safe spaces for joyousness and grieving, and allows us to find the strength of our community. Music can take you places, it can heal your places, it can create new places.”
2022: A New Generation of Voices
As Missoula emerged from the long tail of the pandemic, our Board of Directors asked a simple but hopeful question: How can we help our community reconnect?
Their answer was to grow something new—a children’s choir. A place where young singers could rediscover joy, where families could gather, and where the next generation could experience the belonging that comes from raising your voice alongside others.
In the fall of 2022, under the leadership of founding director Renie Hall Gibson, the Missoula Forte Children’s Choirs held their first rehearsals. Open to all youth in grades 1–6, with no auditions and no barriers, Forte quickly became a bright, welcoming home for children who love to sing
“Each rehearsal and each performance help our children find their voices—both musically and personally—while fostering lifelong friendships and a deep love of the arts.”
