Sostenuto Choral Community of North Texas members are far more than a traditional choir. Founded in McKinney by retired educator Cindy Johnston, the group welcomes singers from their 20s through their 80s, uniting volunteers from diverse backgrounds who share a love of music. Meeting Monday evenings for two-hour rehearsals at First McKinney, the ensemble provides what Cindy calls “a family of singers who combine to support each other through life’s changes and challenges.”
Sostenuto’s mission is to “inspire, educate and support a community of individual singers into one united voice.” Its name, an Italian musical term meaning sustained and steady, reflects both the choir’s sound and its spirit. “We seek to sustain our members and listeners in song,” Cindy explains. “Heartfelt performances and weekly rehearsals offer fellowship and friendship.”
Cindy, who taught in McKinney ISD for 23 years, launched the group in early 2020 with her son, Seth, after recognizing a need for high-level choral music in the community. Their timing was challenging. COVID-19 forced a pause just weeks after rehearsals began but Sostenuto returned in 2021. “Successfully restarting the choir after Covid is a testament to the resiliency of our members. They so wanted to make this choir thing happen," Cindy says.
Membership spans all levels of vocal experience, from those who never sang in school to trained professionals. Some are MISD alumni while others are new to Collin County. Cindysays she hopes to welcome more high school students, particularly homeschoolers. Placement is available for interested singers, with semester fees to offset sheet music and rental space costs. Financial aid and student discounts are offered for those who qualify.
Sostenuto receives partial funding from the City of McKinney through grants of the McKinney Arts Commission and the McKinney Community Development Corporation, with most remaining costs covered by donations from businesses and individuals.
“Community support truly makes what we do possible. Those grants and donations allow us to keep bringing high-quality choral music to North Texas,” Cindy assures.
Sostenuto performs a wide range of repertoire each semester. Its Christmas concerts, such as “Gloria” in 2023 featuring John Rutter’s Gloria, combine sacred and secular works, while spring concerts explore themes from folk traditions to celestial poetry. This past May’s program, Heartland: Songs of Life, will feature Z. Randall Stroope’s American Rhapsody and pieces celebrating life in community.
Community outreach is woven into Sostenuto’s identity. The group partners with the McKinney Armed Services Memorial Board for its annual Veterans Day Ceremony, offers free attendance for Samaritan Inn residents and hosts food drives. Cindy reflects on one of her favorite Veterans Day moments, saying, “Watching veterans rise as their branch’s anthem plays during our medley is profoundly moving.”
The choir’s upcoming Winter Solstice concert, set for Dec. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at First McKinney, will feature seasonal favorites such as Let It Snow and Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.
Cindy says Sostenuto’s impact is best captured by its audiences. Kristen Barnes, a local community member, wrote after a recent concert: “Your most recent choral concert was truly an emotional and moving event.” For Cindy, such feedback affirms the choir’s purpose.
“People often tell us they wish they knew about us sooner,” shares Cindy.
“We seek to sustain our members and listeners in song." ~Cindy Johnston, Sostenuto artistic director.