The concept for One Voice emerged in 2001 during a conversation between Glen McCune (then music director of St. Giles Presbyterian) and Barbara Baynham (long-time director of music at Ebenezer Baptist and well-respected musician and educator).  Glen’s dream of a racially diverse choir singing great music was quickly embraced by Barbara and, starting with a joint rehearsal of the two choirs, One Voice was born.
   The first concert in the summer of 2001 was a “harmonious” partnership of singers from the inner-city African-American church founded before the Civil War and the mostly-white West End church.  Evenly divided racially between Richmonders of African and of European descent, the 60 singers smashed several common stereotypes, such as “white folks can’t sing gospel”, and “black singers don’t like classical music” when they sang Franz Schubert’s Mass in C with chamber orchestra, followed by Robert Ray’s Gospel Mass with piano, bass and drums.  The concert was entitled “One Voice”, a name later adopted for the community chorus which emerged from that event.
   Incorporated in April, 2004 as an independent non-profit organization, more than 100 One Voice singers now come from all parts of Richmond and many choirs, including more than 50 churches and the Richmond Symphony Chorus.  Our mission is to perform excellent choral music for the community and provide artistic and educational resources to promote the work of racial reconciliation.
   Through our music, membership and outreach programs, One Voice works toward positive, healing relationships between Americans of African and of European descent.  Our vision is to be recognized as a model of the enriching power of choral music to bring together people historically separated by racial tensions.  Accepted without audition and without the application of any kind of “quota,” members of One Voice represent the racial balance of metropolitan Richmond.  Since 2004, One Voice has performed for diverse audiences of more than 17,000 people.