Porter Stokes has been the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Augusta Choral Society since 1999. He follows in the ACS footsteps of several beloved directors including the founding director, Emily Remington, and more recently, the late Melvin Brown.
Originally from Seneca, SC, he attended Clemson University before transferring to the University of SC. There, he was able to receive instruction from some truly great musical minds including the late Arpad Darazs and Don Gray. He holds two UofSC degrees. He continued his education at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music where he was privileged to study under Elmer Thomas, John Leman, and Earl Rivers. Dr. Thomas served as his dissertation adviser.
Porter spent much of his career teaching at colleges in South Carolina, notably Erskine College and Presbyterian College. Between stints beginning with a first job teaching middle school music through his final years at PC, Porter spent 40 years in teaching. In a side-career that began in Clemson SC in 1971, Porter served Baptist, Methodist, Episcopalian, and Presbyterian congregations as a church musician for 34 years.
At one time or another, he belonged to all the obligatory professional organizations.
Since 1999, Porter has performed with the Augusta Choral Society the following, some on more than one occasion: Requiems (Mozart, Fauré, Duruflé, Brahms, Rutter, Verdi); Magnificats (Bach, Rutter); Stabat Maters (Dvorak, Rossini, Jenkins); oratorios including Messiah, Creation, the Handel Coronation Anthems, Carmina Burana, The Armed Man; Mass settings by Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Puccini, and others; Magnificats by multiple composers; Amahl and the Night Visitors; multiple settings of the Te Deum; Christmas "cantatas' by Susa, Holst, Vaughan-Williams, Finzi, Wilberg, Bass, Charpentier; and hundreds of smaller compositions by classical and not-so=classical composers, including selections for topical and thematic concerts.
Originally from Seneca, SC, he attended Clemson University before transferring to the University of SC. There, he was able to receive instruction from some truly great musical minds including the late Arpad Darazs and Don Gray. He holds two UofSC degrees. He continued his education at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music where he was privileged to study under Elmer Thomas, John Leman, and Earl Rivers. Dr. Thomas served as his dissertation adviser.
Porter spent much of his career teaching at colleges in South Carolina, notably Erskine College and Presbyterian College. Between stints beginning with a first job teaching middle school music through his final years at PC, Porter spent 40 years in teaching. In a side-career that began in Clemson SC in 1971, Porter served Baptist, Methodist, Episcopalian, and Presbyterian congregations as a church musician for 34 years.
At one time or another, he belonged to all the obligatory professional organizations.
Since 1999, Porter has performed with the Augusta Choral Society the following, some on more than one occasion: Requiems (Mozart, Fauré, Duruflé, Brahms, Rutter, Verdi); Magnificats (Bach, Rutter); Stabat Maters (Dvorak, Rossini, Jenkins); oratorios including Messiah, Creation, the Handel Coronation Anthems, Carmina Burana, The Armed Man; Mass settings by Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Puccini, and others; Magnificats by multiple composers; Amahl and the Night Visitors; multiple settings of the Te Deum; Christmas "cantatas' by Susa, Holst, Vaughan-Williams, Finzi, Wilberg, Bass, Charpentier; and hundreds of smaller compositions by classical and not-so=classical composers, including selections for topical and thematic concerts.
