Our Story

About the Mapleton Chorale

Founded in 1994, the Mapleton Chorale has grown into one of Utah's most respected choral ensembles — committed from the beginning to a standard of artistry that goes far beyond the typical community choir.

1994

Year Founded

30+

Years of Performance

40-60

Voices Each Season

Born From a Desire for Something More

The Chorale was founded by a group of dedicated musicians in Mapleton who shared a common desire: to experience choral music at a level that the region's many fine church choirs — wonderful as they are — were never intended to provide.

Three decades later, that founding conviction has never wavered. The Mapleton Chorale has built a reputation across Utah as one of its premier choral organizations — consistently drawing talented singers and delivering performances of uncommon depth and polish.

Our Mission

Music That Lifts the Human Spirit

Our repertoire is wide-ranging — sacred and classical, intimate and grand — but it is always chosen with a single purpose: to leave every person in the audience feeling better than when they arrived.

We believe the performing arts have a unique power to uplift and encourage. The texts our singers bring to life carry messages of hope, faith, and beauty — and it is our responsibility to deliver them with excellence.

OUR MISSION IS TO CHANGE INDIVIDUALS AND BRING THE PEACE & JOY OF OUR SAVIOR THROUGH BEAUTIFUL, UPLIFTING, DIVERSE, AND OUTSTANDING CHORAL MUSIC.

Leadership

Our Director & Assistant Conductor

Samantha Gordon — Artistic Director

Samantha Gordon is a conductor and singer originally from Denver, Colorado. She holds a Master of Music in Choral Conducting and a Bachelor of Music in choral music education from Brigham Young University, studying under Dr. Andrew Crane and Dr. Brent Wells. She is currently the director of choirs at Pleasant Grove High School, and serves on the Utah board of the American Choral Directors Association. As a vocalist, Samantha has appeared as a soloist with the BYU Singers, Aspen Chorale & Orchestra, West Jordan Symphony, Wasatch Chorale, and Ensign Singers. She also sings with the six-voice early music consort Sound of Ages, the Cathedral of the Madeleine choir, and is regularly contracted as a professional ensemble singer and recording artist across Utah.

Emily Marshall — Assistant Conductor

Emily joined Mapleton Chorale as a singer in 2017 and was honored to accept the position of Assistant Conductor in 2022. Her love of music was solidified during her studies at BYU, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in English with a minor in Music. She has enjoyed her work as a private piano teacher, professional accompanist, and as the director of various church choirs for over 15 years. She believes music has the power to help us feel and express things that can't be felt or expressed in words, connecting people to each other and to God.

Governance