About Seraphim 

Founded in 1997 by music director Jennifer Lester, Seraphim has garnered critical acclaim for its advanced technique and superb sense of style in performing sacred masterworks composed over the centuries to the current day. The ensemble has created a niche among Boston’s performing elite through unique thematic programming that explores spiritual themes of divine transcendence, human longing, suffering, and protest. Our membership includes musicians from many walks of life, all with a passion for singing arresting repertoire.

Seraphim performs choral works which illuminate critical topics, including homelessness, climate change, racial justice, and other social issues, and open a window on the Divine. Our concerts are designed to offer new perspectives, challenging audiences and sparking inspiration to make our community and our world better.

In residence at First Church in Cambridge, Seraphim’s programs echo social justice concerns central to First Church’s mission. Beyond that, Seraphim - and members of its audience - have become involved in supporting their ministries to the homeless and those living on the margins through donations of food and clothing.

Central to Seraphim’s identity is its commitment to the creation and performance of new music. Seraphim has commissioned many works from a distinguished and diverse roster of composers, especially seeking to highlight and commission works by women and people of color. Jennifer Lester’s thematic programming brings new compositions on timely themes into dialogue with works from the tradition in ways that further our mission to illuminate, challenge, and inspire.

By integrating the new with the old, Seraphim consistently brings to light the timeless transcendence inherent in all great sacred choral music.

Community Outreach

After having performed concerts at First Church in Cambridge for several years, we sought ways to collaborate more closely. First Church is vibrantly engaged in social justice issues, and we had a particular interest in supporting their outreach to the homeless and hungry.

At a meeting with the First Church leadership team in 2019, we explored how we might amplify shared concerns and themes around justice issues. At that time we learned that the homeless and those living on the margins become anxious in the fall about surviving the approaching winter. That inspired a concert program in November 2019 entitled "Winter Is Coming," which dealt with experiences of homelessness and displacement. In the program choral works challenged us and our audiences to remember and support those in need.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic we had already been sponsoring successful winter clothing drives for the Friday Café at our Christmas concerts. In the summer of 2022 Seraphim's board of directors voted to expand our partnership with First Church.

In our 2022-2023 season we began accepting donations of food and clothing at all concert programs. As well, we will make our singers and audience members aware of opportunities to volunteer and contribute financially to the church's programs that support those experiencing homelessness and food insecurity: Friday Café and the First Church Shelter. For specific details about the opportunities for participation click here.

Commissions and Premieres

Seraphim has long been committed to the performance of new music, and has been active in commissioning a capella and accompanied choral works. Often the commissions serve as the focal element in conveying programmatic themes. In recent years our commissioning program has turned its focus toward women and people of color. Our music director, Jennifer Lester, is critically acclaimed for her ingenious, intrepid, and imaginative programming, as well as her unflagging advocacy of new music.

A list of premieres and commissions appears below. A printable version is also available. To inquire about partially or fully supporting the creation of a new choral piece, send an email to info@seraphimsingers.org.