Jillian Hall

Worcester’s Salisbury Singers, a mixed chorus of selected volunteers now in its 51st season, have embarked on an exciting new chapter under the direction of Music Director Reagan Paras. Paras, a conductor, singer, and educator with extensive international experience has a deep connection to Worcester. “I always respected the Salisbury Singers reputation and knew they were known for high quality music,” Paras begins, “Initially I wanted to be a part of that tradition and contribute to it, because I also conduct the Many Voices Youth Singers out of Mechanics Hall. I’ve been in this community and I saw potential with the group to further ingrain itself as an authentic and truly Worcester ensemble, which it’s always been.”

Paras’ family came to the United States when he was a child. ”I came up from a unique background. I grew up in and out of homeless shelters in a very poor part of California, and in that culture I grew up really as far away from classical music as possible,” Paras explains, “It wasn’t until much later that I really fell in love with classical music. I’ve always had a connection with music period, but it wasn’t until undergraduate where I realized the beauty of classical music and dove headfirst in. So I’m a very unlikely person to go into a field like I am, and I think that gives me a huge advantage.”  In addition to leading the Salisbury Singers, Paras serves as an Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music and as Artistic Director of Many Voices, Mechanics Hall Youth Singers. ”Berkeley is known for contemporary music and being on the forefront of what’s happening musically, and I’m just inspired every day coming into work.”

The 2024–2025 season opened in the fall with a moving performance of Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living, presented alongside other uplifting choral works that celebrate human resilience and beauty. “That’s how I approach choral music, I’m informed by the past but I look to the future and I look at relevance and sustainability,” says Paras. 

This season, Paras was selected to represent the United States in the prestigious International Conducting Exchange Program through the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). As part of the program, the Salisbury Singers welcomed Karl San Jose, one of the Philippines’ most acclaimed choral conductors, for a special artistic collaboration. “Karl San Jose is a top tier conductor, he will be working directly with the Salisbury Singers and he’s going to work with us on our repertoire,” Paras says, “It’s a way to enhance education here. We’re just excited, I think its going to take us to a new level. A different, fresh perspective is really important.”

A major highlight took place on March 24, 2025, when the Salisbury Singers presented a unique concert at All Saints Church as part of the International Conducting Exchange Program that offered local audiences the chance to experience the creative collaboration between Karl San Jose and the choir. The program featured a rich array of choral music designed to showcase the vibrant musical traditions of the Philippines, creating a cultural exchange that was both artistically inspiring and deeply meaningful.

The season will conclude with a powerful and reflective concert on April 6, 2025, commemorating 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War. Centered around John Rutter’s deeply emotional Requiem, the program will also feature compositions by Vietnamese composers Kendrick Tri Huynh, Dylan Tr?n, and Patrick Vu. Works such as Nh?ng Gi?t L?, Dear Heart, O Sleeper, Awake!, and I Will Sing will be performed, blending Western choral traditions with Vietnamese musical perspectives to create an evening that speaks to peace, reconciliation, and healing. 

“The end of the Vietnam was 50 years ago, and I wanted to create a concert that did just that, celebrates the end of war and the beauty that can come out of it. So when i selected this program, the requiem, it’s a requiem mask for the dead,” Paras explains, “It makes sense to honor those who have passed but I wanted to select composers from the Vietnamese choral tradition to show that almost, not just standing in solidarity, but standing in unity because a lot of these composers are Vietnamese American as well. Regardless of conflict, I think hope and love will triumph over hate and death. I want to make sure that people are leaving the concert feeling that hope, I think we need it more than ever.”

Paras is excited and grateful to be a part of the Salisbury Singers’ rich legacy and is looking forward to the future. “This group is open for everyone. Having worked with them for almost one full year, I think the potential of this group is so vast and I am so excited to see them flourish and really just you wait. This group has some incredible things planned and we’d like to invite anyone to come because anyone who attends and sees will feel it because they’re that good.” The Salisbury Singers dedication to excellence and community connection will continue to grow and thrive with Paras authentic and passionate leadership. Check out salisburysingers.org for concerts, membership information and to hear audio clips.